Just call it the Miracle at Monarch Park.
A small plane carrying three passengers crash landed into a chain-link fence Monday night during a soccer match at the field near Monarch Park Collegiate in the heart of east end 海角社区官网with no one injured.
The aircraft, a Piper PA-28-140 plane, left from Orillia and was on its way to Billy Bishop Island airport when it experienced an engine failure, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) said. It is too early to determine what caused the engine failure, the agency added.
鈥淲e got very lucky tonight,” 海角社区官网Fire Chief Jim Jessop told media at the scene. “The plane crashed into the fence. As you can see the trees behind me, it appears to me that it came through the trees and then landed on the ground and skidded into the fence.
The remains of the small plane that crashed near the soccer field of Monarch Park Collegiate Institute on Tuesday morning.听
Michelle Mengsu Chang/海角社区官网Star“I am happy to report there are no injuries to the occupants of the airplane and no injuries to the civilians who were playing soccer on the field 鈥 as you can see, the game continues.”
A spokesperson for 海角社区官网Fire Services confirmed that its hazmat team responded to the incident due to a potential fuel leak from the plane which was later reported to have been contained.
Reports said the occupants were all adults between 30 and 40.听The TSB听launched an investigation into the crash and who began interviewing听witnesses and those involved听on Monday night.听
The plane will be removed from the park Tuesday afternoon, the TSB said.
Just attended the scene of a small plane crash near Monarch Park HS. Thankfully no injuries to pilot, passenger, or civilians. Thank you to responding crews for their quick, coordinated effort. An example of our all-hazards response, far beyond just fire.
鈥 Jim Jessop (@ChiefJessopTFS)
Witness Frank Leonardo was playing soccer on a nearby field when the plane crash landed.
“We just saw a plane flying really low, lower than those lights, and we were like, ‘Whoa! What’s going on here,’” Leonardo told CP24. “I was about a hundred metres away. It could have landed on me. Thank God.”
Other witnesses on the scene reported virtually no damage to property 鈥 incredible considering the population density of that area of Toronto.
The area includes Monarch Park Collegiate, an off-leash dog park and several lowrise apartment buildings.
Not long after the crash, the scene on the sports field was surreal.听The plane lay in one corner roped off with yellow caution tape, its nose tilted toward the ground and the lights of police vehicles flashing off its fuselage.听
Meanwhile, in the centre of the field about two dozen people played a game of ultimate Frisbee, and local residents wandered by to get a peek at the wreckage.
Soccer players wrap up their game just metres away from where a plane crashed earlier Monday night near Monarch Park Collegiate in East York.
Sophie BouquillonOne kid took selfies with the plane in the background.
Maria Novello, who lives on Monarch Park Avenue, said she saw sirens on the street and wanted to see what was going on.
鈥淚鈥檝e lived in the neighbourhood for a very long time,” Novello said, “and nothing like this has ever happened here before.鈥
She was relieved no one was hurt.
鈥淵ou see a lot of people playing at this stadium, it鈥檚 a very active stadium, there鈥檚 a lot of kids,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t could have been much worse.鈥
Kenn Harvey, the principal of Monarch Park Collegiate,听said damage appeared to be limited to a workout facility on the edge of the field and he expected classes would go ahead as normal on Tuesday.听
鈥淎s far as I can tell everything鈥檚 going to be fine tomorrow,鈥 he said. 鈥淪chool will be open.鈥
海角社区官网first responders stand near the relatively intact remains of the Piper Cherokee four-seater that crash landed into a chain-link fence near a soccer field at Monarch Park Collegiate.
Sophie Bouquillon海角社区官网District School Board confirmed classes would continue as normal on Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning, behind the school property at Monarch Dog Park, spectators climbed a slope towards the fence line to get a better view of the cordoned off area where the wrecked plane remained.
Jesse Laine, a resident in the neighbourhood, was on his way to the playground with his two toddlers when he decided to check out the crash scene.
Laine was at home when the plane crashed and said his wife heard “really loud engine” noises Monday night.
Shortly after, sirens could be heard ringing through the neighbourhood.
“It’s very fortunate,” Laine said, noting that the plane crashed just before the field where people were playing soccer.
A plane, matching the call numbers C-FXGC of the downed plane, is registered to the online Flight Club Life website for rental at $121 an hour.
The Piper Cherokee PA28-140 four-seater is described on the site as a “great time builder, based Downtown 海角社区官网CYTZ (Billy Bishop airport), with the best view in the city!”
It goes on to say they are seeking pilots that will “consistently fly.听25 hour block times required.听$250 for insurance costs (1 year).”
With files from Ben Spurr, Janet Hurley, Asma Sahebzada, Anastasia Blosser and Ben Mussett
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