Witnesses talk of Milan plane horror

MILAN, Italy -- Witnesses to the plane crash into the 30-storey Pirelli building in Milan spoke of hearing a huge bang.

"I heard a strange bang so I went to the windows and outside I saw the windows of the Pirelli building blown out and then I saw smoke coming from them." Engineer Gianluca Liberto, Reuters

"We heard this explosion. I went to the emergency stair. We went down the stairway calmly until we came to the security area at the front of the building. I saw my co-workers going down with me so I hope they are OK." Employee on 14th floor, RAI television

"We heard the sound of propellers as if from a small aircraft and then there was a huge bang. Everything was flying through the air -- paper, furniture." Woman office worker, Reuters

"I saw five floors completely destroyed. I saw a lot of smoke but I didn't see fire." Journalist Ettore Livin talking to CNN

CNN NewsPass VIDEO Plane hits the 32-storey Pirelli building. (April 18) Play video   RESOURCES • Gallery: Pictures of the crash scene  • The flight path  • The Pirelli building    MORE STORIES • Chronology: Skyscraper disasters

"I heard the explosion and came out. There were already policemen in the road and there was smoke coming out of the windows hit by the aircraft. I spoke to a man who works for the region, for the local government, he works on the 21st floor. He heard a strong, strong explosion, and he said, very, very quiet and calm, all the people in the building left the building using the staircases, obviously because the elevator was completely blocked. Journalist Prospero Bozzo talking to CNN

"We have heard a great explosion ... there is a great, great confusion. We can see only black smoke coming from the building." Antonio Fatiguso, ANSA News Agency

"It was shocking. The windows shook and the mirrors fell to the floor." Barber Luccheta Antonio, 52, from a shop nearby, The Associated Press

Everyone has been telling us that there was a huge, huge noise when the plane crashed and the windows shook all over, and debris all over, and rubble all over and a lot of dust and smoke. And of course, people rushed down the stairs." Journalist Desideria Cavina talking to CNN

"It sounded like a bomb. The pavement shook like an earthquake." Woman identifying herself as Lucia, The Associated Press

"The thing that is eerily reminiscent about all this is you have exactly the same conditions as you had, unfortunately, in America in September. A clear, blue sky, beautiful, spring-like conditions and many, many people out and about. And suddenly, this bizarre sight of this huge building with a gouging wound in the side of it." Witness Kevin Michael Buckley talking to CNN