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A small aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building Friday, sending debris and plane parts falling into streets in the Chinese capital's central business district, according to The New York Times, while Reuters witnesses reported a heavy police presence and road closures around the tower.
The building, known as CITIC Tower or China Zun, is a 108-story skyscraper in eastern Beijing and the headquarters of the state-owned conglomerate CITIC Group. It is the tallest building in the Chinese capital.
Reuters witnesses said police closed some roads leading to the building and observed a missing glass panel on a high floor on the side of the tower.
Police officers were also seen stopping people from taking pictures and ushering people away from the area.
The New York Times reported that a small aircraft flew into the skyscraper Friday, sending large pieces of debris and plane parts falling onto the streets below.
Video shared on social media and verified by The New York Times showed debris falling from the building as people ran to safety.
Videos and photos verified by The New York Times showed broken windows and debris, including what appeared to be the tail of a small aircraft, falling dozens of stories into the street.
The building is located in Beijing's central business district, where traffic was clogged with cars at the time.
There was significant police presence near the building Friday night.
Police closed at least one major road near the tower, set up a folding metal grille gate, and a police car with flashing lights was parked on the street, according to The New York Times.
Reuters witnesses also reported heavy police presence at the site, with some roads leading to the building closed to cars.
Police officers were seen preventing people from taking photos and moving people away from the building.
The tower is the headquarters of CITIC Group, one of China's biggest state-owned financial conglomerates.
An employee of a nearby gym, who identified himself by the surname Zhang, told The New York Times he was walking with friends in the area when he saw an aircraft hit the tower around 6 p.m. local time.
He said a woman with a head injury was later taken away in an ambulance.
The account could not be immediately verified, The New York Times reported.
Calls to a nearby police station in Beijing rang unanswered.
CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, was completed in 2018 and can be seen from across Beijing.
The skyscraper stands across the street from another well-known Beijing landmark, the headquarters of China Central Television.
Nearly 20 police cars were parked near the CCTV headquarters on Friday night, according to The New York Times.
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