Cessna 208 Caravan Crash in Winnipeg
WINNIPEG (CP) — A cargo plane crashed on railway tracks not far from Winnipeg’s city centre on Thursday, killing the pilot but incredibly missing buildings and vehicles in the area, police said.
The Cessna 208 was en route from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay, Ont., when it went down.
“It actually crashed in behind a temple that is nearby,” said Winnipeg police Sgt. Shelly Glover.
“It has crashed on railway tracks and does not appear to have collided with any other objects, houses or cars,” she said.
The trendy Osborne Village area where the plane came down is heavily populated.
“There are some taller buildings so it is quite incredible that nothing was struck,” said Glover.
Upon impact, the aircraft caught fire.
“My understanding is that there were some flames and some smoke,” she said.
Glover said the crash site is somewhat hidden from view although it is near a major traffic route into the city centre.
Police Sgt. Kelly Dennison, who was on the scene, said that weather may have been a factor in the crash.
Emergency crews were on the scene early Thursday.
Winnipeg radio station CJOB said the plane was operated by Federal Express, but police would not immediately confirm that.