UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky leaves 3 dead, governor says toll may rise

A UPS payload skim which carried tierce people crashed and burst into flames on Tuesday while taking off from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing at least three and injuring 11. The governor said the toll may increase.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft was departing for Honolulu around 5:15 pm when it went down.

A video captured flames on the left wing and a trail of smoke as the plane briefly lifted off before crashing and erupting into a massive fireball. Several buildings were on fire after the plane crash.

UPS said the plane had three crew members on board, and federal officials indicated all were feared dead, Reuters reported.

Louisville Metro Emergency Services issued a shelter-in-place order for everyone within five miles (8 km) of the airport.

“There are multiple injuries and the fire is still burning. There are many road closures in the area – please avoid the scene,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a post shortly before 7 p.m. ET (0000 GMT).

“We’re asking all Kentuckians to pray for those that have been impacted," Kentucky governor Andy Beshear told The Associated Press.

The crash prompted an emergency response, from police and fire agencies. Due to the flames some responders even “have had to shelter behind different things,” Beshear said.

“It is still a very dangerous situation with different flammables or potentially explosive materials,” Beshear said.

Mayor Craig Greenberg told WLKY-TV that is the fuel which was “extreme reason for concern in so many different ways.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said it would lead the investigation and was sending a team to the site. NTSB inquiries generally take 12 to 24 months to determine a probable cause and issue safety recommendations.

Louisville’s airport, home to UPS Worldport, the company’s global air hub and largest package-handling facility, closed the airfield after the incident.

The crash is expected to disrupt UPS deliveries, including for major clients such as Amazon, Walmart and the US Postal Service. Walmart and Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The largest package handling facility of UPS is in Louisville. It employs thousands and has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages per hour.

FAA records show the MD-11 freighter involved in the crash was 34 years old. Boeing, which ended the MD-11 program after its merger with McDonnell Douglas, said it was concerned for everyone affected and would offer technical support for the investigation.

A shelter-in-place order was extended to cover all areas north of the airport up to the Ohio River. The Louisville airport is about 10 minutes from downtown, which sits along the river at the Indiana border.

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