Passenger jet in flames at Toronto airport- 2005

proudmom

Tue, Aug 02 2005, 2:12 pm

A passenger jet burst into flames after skidding off the runway at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

There is no word on whether there are any casualties and the number of passengers was not immediately available.

Police indicate the aircraft was an Air France jet that was trying to land when it ran into trouble.

"An Air France plane landing on runway 2-4 left went off the end of the runway the area of Convert Drive and the 401 area in Mississauga," said Sgt. Glyn Griffiths.

He couldn't say whether there were any injuries or if any passengers had been removed from the plane, but said there's been a full response by all emergency vehicles.

Air France has not released a statement, but a ticket agent with the airline told Reuters that the burning plane is an A340 airbus that was travelling from Paris to Toronto.

Live television pictures showed flames and smoke billowing from the aircraft in a wooded area just metres from Highway 401 -- Canada's busiest highway -- near the airport. A section of the plane's wing could be seen jutting from the trees.

CTV Toronto's Jim Junkin reports that 200 people are thought to have been on board.

Severe storms were hitting the area at the time of the accident. Eyewitnesses reported seeing lightning hit the plane before it burst into flames.

The Greater Toronto Airport Authority is expected to hold a press conference sometime after 5 p.m. ET.

queen

Tue, Aug 02 2005, 5:31 pm

my husband told me they were interviewing a man who had JUST gotten off the plane. "welcome to toronto," the newscaster begins.....

gosh, this guy just got off an accident/flame infested plane, and THIS is how he begins the interview???!?!??!!!!!

kind of ironic.
"welcome to Toronto."

achayl

Thu, Aug 06 2009, 9:48 am

Air France has a bad track record with the Pearson Airport in Toronto. I remember when the Air France plane skidded off the end of the runway and the whole thing burst into flames a few years ago. The highways even stopped to watch. No one was killed. A friend of mine had her luggage lost and it came on that flight to catch up to her, needless to say her luggage was burned and lost forever.

I think I would pick my airline carefully!!!