Police and firefighters are on scene after a plane crashed around the Buttonville airport near Markham at around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
The pilot and sole occupant of the plane is dead, according to witnesses who spoke to police.
But officials will not confirm any information about injuries or damages at this time.
Nearby portions of 16th Ave. and Highway 404 have been closed off pending investigation.
Amit Kohli, a witness who works on the 8th floor of neighbouring 45 Vogell Rd., said that the plane is a small, black two-seater and that the cockpit appears to be empty from his vantage point.
“I heard a big thump and when I saw it there was no one around it,” he said, “The plane was engulfed in flames as it dropped.”
This is the second crash to occur near the Buttonville airport in under a month.
The pilot of a Cirrus SR20, which had just taken off from Buttonville, and a passenger died on May 25 when the plane crashed into Thinkway Toys, a toy-manufacturing firm at 12:20 p.m.
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti was at the scene of the May 25 crash and pointed out that such incidents are rare at Buttonville airport.
Buttonville Municipal Airportis the 10th busiest airport in country and operates Canada’s largest flight school, according to its website.
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