Plane crashes into 109-storey skyscraper sparking major evacuation

In one of the world’s most fortified cities, it’s reported that a small aircraft has crashed into a skyscraper at around 6pm local time today (26 June).

Viral videos from Beijing, China, online showed the plane falling from the sky after striking the capital city’s tallest building.

With 109 storeys, the CITIC Tower (also known as China Zun) is a whopping 528 metres in height. As its name indicates, the building is the headquarters of the state-owned conglomerate CITIC Group and is located in the central business district of Chaoyang District.

Police reportedly closed off the roads around the skyscraper as it’s said they stopped those passing by from filming the scene. It’s also reported that the building has been evacuated.

It’s suggested the skyscraper didn’t suffer any particularly major damage as images remaining on social media show debris from the aircraft lying in the street.

Reuters reports that police asked some people to delete images and videos they had taken as they ushered people away from the skyscraper.

It is also added that two glass panels on a high floor of the CITIC Tower were damaged in the incident.

A courier spoke to the news agency as he said he had rushed over to the area after hearing a loud crash from nearby as a plane roughly the size of a car collided with the skyscraper.

“It was so loud – louder than fireworks,” he said.

The man said he’d taken a video of the aircraft sticking out of the tall building but had deleted it out of fear of being caught by the police.

Social media posts of the skyscraper today were reportedly quickly taken down from Chinese social media. Press were told to leave the scene as dozens of police cars and several fire engines lined roads in the area.

There is currently no clear information as to whether there are any injured in relation to the crash or a cause.

Global.hk say the aircraft had taken off from Shifosi Airport only half an hour earlier and was prepared to return when it deviated from the flight path.

The outlet reports that the aircraft lost contact and could not be reached before the crash took place.

The LADbible Group has contacted CITIC Group for comment on the incident and reports.