Witnesses tell of shock at crash

The first eyewitness reports following the crash of the American Airlines jet told how large amounts of smoke filled the air and the disbelief from the public.

Gary Toms, associate editor of The Wave magazine, whose offices are close to the site in Queens, New York, told CNN: ‘‘I can see just a lot of smoke from the area. Emergency vehicles are still racing past the office to the location.

‘‘People are standing in the street - everybody is basically stunned and in a state of shock.’’

Witnesses said eight buildings in the area were on fire as firefighters went to the scene.

Eyewitnesses described large amounts of ‘‘smoke’’ and disbelief from the public.

He added: ‘‘Emergency vehicles are still racing past the office to the location (of the crash).

‘‘People are standing in the street, everybody is basically stunned and in a state of shock.’’