Two die as plane crashes into Milan skyscraper

A small plane with only the pilot aboard crashed into a Milan skyscraper today after sending a SOS.

Two people were reported dead by police.

Just briefly, the world feared it was facing a repeat of the September 11 suicide attacks on New York and Washington.

Holes were punched into two sides of the slim Pirelli skyscraper, and smoke was still pouring out nearly three hours after the crash, which happened at 5:54 pm local time.

Most workers had already left the building for the day when the light aircraft plunged into the 24th and 25th floors, totally destroying them.

Police officer Celerissimo De Simone said that the pilot of the Piper aircraft had sent out a distress call just before the crash into the 416 ft tall building near Milan’s main rail station.

The 30-storey building houses the Lombardy region’s government offices and is a Milan landmark.

"It sounded like a bomb. The pavement shook like an earthquake,’’ said a woman identifying herself only as Lucia.

Said Luccheta Antonio, 52, a barber down the block: ‘‘It was shocking. The windows shook and the mirrors fell to the floor.’’

Police cordoned off the area as people gawked at the skyscraper. At least one ambulance was dispatched.

‘‘We believe it isn’t a terrorist attack,’’ said Carabinieri paramilitary officer Vincenzo Curto. ‘‘The pilot might have taken ill or it was an engine problem.’’

In Rome, Senate President Marcello Pera said it appeared it was ‘‘most probably’’ a terrorist attack, but that word came moments before state TV announced that the pilot had radioed a distress call.

Pera’s spokesman later said he had spoken with the Interior Minister and the crash didn’t appear to be any kind of an attack.

An unspecified number of people were rescued from lifts that shut down after the crash.

Police officer De Simone said the plane had taken off from Locarno, Switzerland, and was heading to Milan’s Linate airport.

The skyscraper, a symbol of Milan, Italy’s financial capital, was designed in the 1950s.

President Bush was told of the crash within minutes and the US feared a repeat of the September 11 suicide hijackings.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer opened his press briefing with this statement:

‘‘The president just moments ago was informed about the incident in Milan. I have no additional information at all for you at this time. This is a breaking story and we don’t have anything else beyond that - the president has been informed.’’

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and White House chief of staff Andrew Card were the two who told Bush of the plane crash, Fleischer said.

‘‘I think you can presume that we will be - if we are not already - in touch with Italian authorities and will ascertain precisely what the facts are,’’ the spokesman said.