A small aircraft crashed beside Monarch Park Collegiate in Toronto Monday evening. All three onboard walked away safely; fire services see no risk.
Toronto’s East End Sees Unexpected Air Incident Monday Night
A small plane crashed outside Monarch Park Collegiate Institute in Toronto’s east end around 8:15 p.m. Monday. Fire Chief Jim Jessop confirmed the aircraft struck a fence beside a grandstand, near a parking lot at Hanson Street and Coxwell Avenue, after coming through trees and skidding toward a school fixture.
Passengers Escape Without Injury
Three individuals, reportedly aged in their mid-30s to mid-40s, were aboard the craft. Toronto Paramedics assessed them at the scene. Though shaken, none were seriously hurt. No ground-level bystanders—players on a nearby soccer field—were injured, despite the crash’s proximity to a game in progress.
How It Almost Turned Much Worse
Chief Jessop described how the plane descended through trees before coming to rest against a fence. He and responding crews called the public “very, very fortunate” that the aircraft did not impact the soccer field full of people, given that loud crash and the low flight path witnessed.
Investigations Underway, Causes Unknown
Firefighters are handling cleanup, including leaking fuel, and report no danger to the public. The incident has been reported to Transport Canada and the Toronto District School Board. At this stage, officials have not determined why the plane landed where it did.
Account from Witness Adds Detail
A spectator, David Sydney-Cariglia, said he was playing at nearby St. Patrick’s field when he saw the plane flying unusually low. He recalled it disappearing from view before a loud crash, then discovered it had come to rest near the school. “We knew immediately that something was wrong,” he said.
Why This Is Significant for the Community
Plane crashes in dense, urban settings are rare. The location—adjacent to a high school and in view of public recreational space—raises questions of safety, flight-paths, and emergency preparedness. The fact that no one off the aircraft was harmed underscores how close the event came to a greater tragedy.
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