At least two people were killed, and several others were injured after an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 plane collided with a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York. The CRJ-900 jet was en route to Montreal at the time of the accident.
Videos and images shared on social media show the cockpit, nose and front fuselage of the aircraft completely damaged in the accident. Unofficial social media handles claimed two deaths, and over 70 people were injured among firefighters. The aircraft was carrying hundred of passengers at the time of the accident.
Multiple rescue teams, including the New York City Fire Department (NYCFD), are at the spot and have shifted the injured to the trauma centres. The incident is reported to have occurred on LaGuardia Airport's runway 4 while taxiing after landing.
The airport suspended all takeoff and landing operations at the airport until Monday night. According to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft had landed at 23:37 local time following a one-hour flight from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
Air traffic control (ATC) recordings revealed that the fire truck, which was identified as Truck 1, requested clearance to cross Runway 04, which was granted. However, moments later, a controller frantically ordered the truck to stop as Jazz Airlines Flight 646 was speeding along the runway. Flightradar24 data shows that the CRJ-900's last recorded ground speed was 21 kts, although its speed at the time of impact will almost certainly have been much higher.