A witness to a fatal plane crash in Tofino, B.C., on Thursday says pandemonium broke out at the airport when the aircraft caught fire.
Sarah Wolton was waiting to fly out of Tofino-Long Beach Airport when the disaster happened shortly before 1 p.m.
“I was situated right by the window and looking out onto the runway and I just see this blazing bright fire,” she told Global News.
She said moments later airport crews sprang into action.
“Everyone is running, everyone is alerted, I saw the two guys that were on the runway grab fire extinguishers, get in their truck, race out and around, and it was just mayhem and everyone is scrambling,” she said.
“It was shocking.”
The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District has described the flight as a “non-scheduled private aircraft.”
The Transportation Safety Board is investigating what went wrong, but RCMP say early information suggests a six-seat aircraft may have suffered an engine fire while taking off.
Two people were killed in the crash, and a third was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Southern California veterinary surgeon Frank Borostyankoi has been identified as one of the victims by staff at the clinics he worked for.
Staff told Global News he had been on a fishing trip with two of his best friends, including Chris Biggerstaff who also died in the crash.
“It’s just a terrible tragedy,” Tofino Mayor Dan Law said.
“We are all moved for the family and friends and all the people involved, including all the emergency response crew and the hospital crew who did take care of the one surviving victim.”
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Tofino RCMP.