A U.S. Navy fighter jet has crashed into an apartment complex in the southern state of Virginia, injuring six people, including both pilots.

Officials say the two crew members ejected successfully from the plane and have been taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities also say four civilians were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The crash severely damaged several small apartment buildings believed to house elderly people and sent flames rising into the sky. Emergency crews are searching for possible victims.

A Pentagon spokesman said on the social media network, Twitter, that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is “closely watching” the crash and is “concerned about potential loss of life.”

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said “it is our fervent prayer that no one was injured or killed in the accident.”

The jet, an F/A-18 Hornet, was based at a nearby U.S. Naval air station in Virginia Beach. The area has a large concentration of military bases.