THREE people are d3ad after a UPS cargo plane carrying over 200,000 gallons of fuel exploded in a dramatic fireball during take off.
Hordes of police and fire crews are responding to multiple blazes burning at the edge of Louisville International Airport, Kentucky, and cops report there are “very significant” injuries.
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A huge fireball could be seen from the roadCredit: X/@FaytuksNetwork
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Fire crews desperately douse the burning wreckage from all sidesCredit: WLKY-TV
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Heavy black smoke rose from the fires in an industrial areaCredit: Reuters
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At least three people di3d and 11 were injured in the tragedy at around 5:15pm, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at a press conference tonight.
He said that he expected both of those figures to rise, and that there were some people unaccounted for.
Footage shows the UPS plane bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, speeding along the runway at Louisville as it attempts to take off.
Flames can be seen pouring from the left engine area, with the pilots seemingly unaware as they prepare for the 12-hour journey.
The plane appears to tip upwards slightly, suggesting the wheels just leave the tarmac, before a colossal fireball mushrooms into the sky.
The authorities said the freight plane smashed through two businesses as it burned – a petroleum recycling plant and a car parts yard – which have reported two employees unaccounted for.
Footage from an adjacent road posted to social media shows the fireball ripping across the land – presumably following the path of the blazing plane.
Broadcast news images show a large trail of flames and a plume of smoke leading from a parking lot as fire trucks tried to douse the fire.
Governor Beshear said: “Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is.”
A shelter-in-place alert was issued for a five-mile radius just after 5:30pm local time, and then expanded to include all areas north up to the Ohio River.
Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Matt Sanders said the force was responding to an active scene with “fire and debris”.
City mayor Craig Greenberg offered his prayers for the victims and said: “There are multiple injuries and the fire is still burning. There are many road closures in the area – please avoid the scene.
“The plane was carrying 280,000 gallons of fuel.”
“Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected. We will share more soon.”
The US Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that UPS Flight 2976 crashed at around 5:15pm local time.
It’s not yet clear exactly what caused the plane to crash, but a source told ABC News that there was an engine issue during the plane’s take off.
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The plane that crashed was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 operated by UPSCredit: Alamy
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Governor Andy Beshear speaking to media following the crashCredit: WDRB
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Fire crews battling the blaze with extended laddersCredit: AP
Kentucky Beshear warned people not to go to the site of the crash.
He said: “There may be people that still need to be rescued. Do not be the reason that the first responders cannot get to them.”
“There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive.”
The plane that crashed was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 – a large freight model brought in during the 1990s.
UPS announced in 2023 it planned to retire its MD-11s over the next decade as part of plans to modernise their fleet.
UPS said this evening: “At approximately 5:20 PM ET tonight, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, KY, to Honolulu, an MD-11 with three crewmembers onboard, was involved in an accident in Louisville.
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Flames tore along a long strip of land as the plane burned upCredit: X
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A huge blaze erupted from the site of the crashCredit: AP
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A massive column of black smoke is rising into the air, prompting a shelter in place alertCredit: AP
“UPS will release more facts as they become available, but the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation.”
The airfield at Louisville, also known as Muhammad Ali International, has been closed following the crash, the airport confirmed on X.
Louisville serves as an international hub for UPS.
The shipping service is the largest employer in the city, employing over 20,000 people in the greater Louisville metropolitan region, according to the company’s website.
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Aerial footage shows the aftermath of the crashCredit: WLKY-TV
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Flames and smoke can be seen at the site, with Louisville Airport in the foregroundCredit: Getty Images
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