[AALee]

Two dead as light plane plunges into Sydney street
(AFP) – 2 hours ago



At least two people have been killed after a light plane crash-landed in a Sydney street near a primary school.

SYDNEY — At least two people were killed Monday when a light plane crash-landed in a Sydney street and exploded just metres (yards) from a primary school, police said. The plane came down shortly after taking off from nearby Bankstown airport, narrowly avoiding houses and traffic including one car carrying three children. The school and homes were evacuated and five people were treated for shock. "A number of cars were damaged nearby," Superintendent Ray King told reporters.

"Miraculously no homes were damaged or the nearby school." He said the plane slammed into a power pole and burst into flames after crash-landing at about 8:10 am, 20 minutes after take-off, making it impossible to confirm how many were on board. "At this stage we believe at least two people were on board," King said. The crash caused a major power outage, affecting thousands of homes and knocking out the traffic lights on nearby highways.

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