After the tremendous experience of the "Miracle on the Hudson," we’ve been inclined to expect miracles — until now. A commuter plane crashed into a home last night in Clarence Center, near Buffalo, NY, killing 49 people and setting off a ferocious blaze that can still, this morning, be seen miles away. All 48 passengers and crew, plus one person on the ground, were killed. Continental Airlines Flight 3407 reportedly departed from Newark International Airport in New Jersey and crashed around 10 PM — approximately seven miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

The local paper was told that the "plane simply dropped off the radar screen," and there was little communication between Flight 3407 and the tower before the crash. CNN listened to the tapes and said the pilot’s last comment was "Colgan Flight 3407." There were no sounds of distress. Crew members aboard the flight from Newark Airport had not reported mechanical problems as they approached Buffalo.This morning, only the plane’s tail is visible among the debris and flames.

The fatal crash happened at 6038 Long Street, reports the Buffalo News. Voting records list Douglas C. Wielinski, 61, as the only adult male homeowner. Authorities midmorning said they weren’t certain he was the one resident killed in the crash. His 57-year-old wife, Karen, and 22-year-old daughter, Jill, are reportedly in stable condition and in hospital care. Our prayers go out to all of the victims aboard Flight 3407, residents, neighbors and the firefighters on the scene.

Click here to read the Buffalo News.

Click here to read CNN.