Putting things into perspective...

[TOLady]

So I'm planning on taking the day off work (worked all weekend) and going for a paddle to see Sydney, the Cygnet, to tell him about our POTD win. I get all packed up and then low and behold the thunderboomers roll in. The heavens open. Thunder and lighting for hours - not moving - sticking around Toronto. I'm not a happy camper. I'm really miffed about this. All the area in Ontario around Toronto is enjoying great clear sunny skies EXCEPT over my house. Here's a map showing you

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I happen to turn on the TV for the news and see that an AirFrance Airbus340 has just crashed at the end of one of Toronto Intl Airport's runways, probably due to the weather cell that's here right now. Big fire, not sure if souls are lost - looks like a very good probability though. Puts the fact that I can't kayak today all into perspective, doesn't it!!?? There are going to be some heartbroken people tonight. I'm so sorry for their families.

 

[sbuttrick]

Sandi,
I've watching the news too. My heart goes out to those folks and you are right, it does put things into perspective.

 

[PGB]

I was just reading a post about this on airliners.net. It is sad. I'll be praying for those involved and their families.

 

[TOLady]

Seems the plane came in high, and then took a sudden drop onto the runway, probably bursting the tires therefore losing control. Seems some people on the flight ended up with broken legs, etc, so not sure if they made it out on the emergency chutes before the fire hit.
This happened at the end of one of the longest runways, and the plane ended up in a gully with Etobicoke Creek running through it. A bad crash happened in same location in 1980 or 1981. I don't know why they haven't filled in the gully and put the creek through a culvert. This is right next to the busiest highway in Canada at rush hour - could have been a lot worse!
Apparently, a man spoke to one of the stewardesses who was helping injured passengers out on the ground, and she's pretty confident they managed to get everyone out. Please let it be so.

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[Leigh]

My prayers go out to all involved.

 

[PGB]

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/compass/camera/pictures/loc37.jpg

Link to Ministry of Transportation webcam near the highway. For other angles replace the loc35.jpg with anywhere between 33 and 38.jpg. For instance

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/compass/camera/pictures/loc38.jpg

 

[TOLady]

Good going, thanks for that Patrick. Now you can also see why I love working from home rather than facing that traffic on a daily basis!!

Good new: apparently no souls lost. This is always good news in the aviation industry. Looks like it was a lightning strike - good thing I wasn't out on the lake in a piddly little kayak.

 

[Retief]

Sandi, I have been hearing this on the news the last while, and I am SO happy to hear that the passengers all seem safe, at least that is the last report I heard. My trip back from England a couple of weeks ago, we were diverted to an Air Force base in New Jersey, instead of landing at Newark, due to a series of storms. An incident like this, well, I can tell you that somehow it just hits home a bit more now.

You are so right, it sure makes our "every-day-problems" pale in perspective doesn't it?

 

[TOLady]

Yes Bill, no deaths, only 14 injuries (probably broken bones), the evacuations went well and all got out before the fire hit. 297 passengers, 12 crew. A red alert had been issued for the airport due to lightning in the area just before this touched down.

They do need to fill in that gully though. The last crash there lost two lives and injured almost all the rest in 1978.

 

[eng45ine]

I came in from cutting the lawn to see the television accounts of the crash. Thankfully, no severe injuries reported...which is totally amazing to me. Aircraft firefighting isn't something that structural firefighters have much experience with. One of the glide paths into and out of O'Hare International Airport goes directly over the town that I work for, one wonders if we'll ever have to deal with something like that someday. All that I know is that the flight crew's training is probably what saved everyone's life.

Sandi, something told me that you would have credible information for us...thanks for taking the time to offer what you had learned about the crash and it's location.

 

[Gilles]

According to the last news, no dead and between 14-18 lightly injured. Really good news Sandi, get the kayak ready.

 

[TOLady]

Frank, airport or residential firefighters - they're all the same - they get my best wishes and always a high-five on the road when I pass them. I once had to call when choking at home, all alone, and terrified they'd find my body with the cats chewing on my face. The boys on the red screamer were there in minutes while emergency services stayed on the phone with me (first order: unlock the front door!). I managed to clear it but those seconds sure made me bloody scared. Your boys made sure I was OK before they left - five cute guys in firefighting equipment in my house - all my gay friends said "you should have called me!!" *LOL*

I've always appreciated you guys being out there, just in case! Firefighters and cops - spending their days making sure we stay alive.

Apparently during the evacuation of the aircraft, there was no order, it was pandemonium - people screaming and running. I always ask for the seat beside the emerg door because there's more legroom - I have disproportionately long legs. The stewardess always counsels me that it would be my responsibility to get the door open and wd I be able to handle that. My answer "no problem if you keep the screamers back!" and they always laugh at that. People management is an art!

At the end of a large crash - no deaths, very few injuries, all owed to great crew - all in all a good day.

 

[TOLady]

Thanks Gilles, unfortunately I have showings all afternoon tomorrow so I guess I have to wait 'til Thursday to see my little baby. Let's hope this severe summer weather co-operates. Of course, now the sun has come out!

 

[greyflash]

I too have been glued to FOX News getting updates on the crash. It is amazing to think that everyone was safely evacuated. That is especially true when the plane broke in two (or so it was reported) and then burst into flames. The crew of the plane and the emergency crews did a fantastic job here.

 

[Vandyu]

Good going, thanks for that Patrick. Now you can also see why I love working from home rather than facing that traffic on a daily basis!!

Good new: apparently no souls lost. This is always good news in the aviation industry. Looks like it was a lightning strike - good thing I wasn't out on the lake in a piddly little kayak.

I'm glad that no people were killed, but I was thinking today that it was likely that there were some pets in transit that died in the fire. I hope not, but a lot of people travel with their dogs and cats

 

[Chris101]

I was thinking today was a magicaly great day - I was ditching work, Qwest had fixed my phone (and more importantly DSL), and the waitress at a restaurant said I could eat a fresh stir fried lobster and pay her the next time I came in (and I had only eaten there 3 or 4 times!)

Then when I heard about the fire plane crash in Toronto and the report ended with the phrase "no fatalities", well even an old agnostic like me thanked God for the day!

Some days are good, and some days are way better than that!!!

 

[Rob]

Next time the ladies start their demonstration on evacuation procedures, or the video is played, please watch it. It is there to save your life, not annoy you.

We will now sing psalm.......... sorry I'll stop preaching.
:roll:

 

[TOLady]

but I was thinking today that it was likely that there were some pets in transit that died in the fire. I hope not, but a lot of people travel with their dogs and cats

Never thought of that. I was only thinking - poor vacationers, get to the end of a very long flight only to have all your lugguge gone. Never thought about any animals in the hold. It took hours to get the fire out - seems there was still a lot of fuel left in the wings. (It was only after I started dating a Boeing engineer six years ago that I learned that the wings are just huge fuel tanks - never knew that!)

 

[Phil K]

Some days are good, and some days are way better than that!!!

And just watched the successful repair of the shuttle on TV. Thank God.

 

[TOLady]

That's terrific news, Phil! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed during the re-entry. Glad we could help out on that (Canadarm).