SAO PAULO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- At least three people have been confirmed killed after a small aircraft crashed Friday into a building in Brazil's seaside city of Capao da Canoa, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, local authorities said.

According to the local fire department, the aircraft was carrying four people -- two pilots and two passengers. A pilot and two passengers were confirmed dead, while the fourth victim has not yet been located.

Preliminary reports cited by local media outlet Radio Gaucha said the aircraft, a single-engine plane, was flying at low altitude when it began losing height and crashed. The building it struck was reportedly unoccupied at the time.

Footage recorded by the city's security cameras captured the moment the plane crashed, when an explosion occurred. Images shared by residents on RBS TV showed a mushroom cloud of fire shooting up.

City officials confirmed that the aircraft departed from S?o Paulo. ■