Brazilian plane carrying 174 crashes in Sao Paulo

SAO PAULO, July 18 (Reuters) A Brazilian passenger plane carrying 174 people crashed into a fuel station at Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport and caught fire after braking too late upon landing, airport and airline officials said.

Air Force Command confirmed the fire but could not say how many people were on board at the time of the accident yesterday, and whether there were any victims.

The Airbus A320 plane was flying from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil, said Brazilian air company TAM , the plane's operator.

About a dozen ambulances could be seen around the site of the crash, just outside the airport. The plane crashed through a wall and hit the fuel station, according to witnesses.

Reuters JK VP0438