Thoughts and prayers go out to the famlies of the Continential flight

I was on my way back from work a few minutes ago and learned that a Continental (Q400) Dash-8 crashed in Clarence Center (near Buffalo) This is about 3 miles from the "Big Blue Water Tower" for those of you who know Erie County. 

I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn about this as the plane was only a few miles from landing at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. I know that the firefghters in Erie County are some of the best in the country. I hope that they stay safe on the scene. They have set up a unified command system and have evacuated about 12 homes in the area. 2 people from the ground were transported to Millard Fillmore suburban hospital. This is an ongoing event. 

The area where this happened is just down the road from the Clarence Center Volunteer Fire Company. Here is their website. http://www.ccvfc.com/newsstory.asp?ID=42

Here are some early links to storys about this:

audio from ATC -- @ 20min40sec

http://archive-server.liveatc.net/kbuf/KBUF-Feb-13-2009-0300Z.mp3

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/577959.html

http://www.ccvfc.com/newsstory.asp?ID=42

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=64153&catid=37

http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/39540627.html

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/update_regarding_airplane_crash_of_continental_flight_3407_090212