Tragedy struck at the Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky yesterday evening when a UPS cargo jet carrying three people crashed and exploded on takeoff. The devastating incident has left at least three people dead and 11 injured, with authorities warning that the numbers could rise.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as "apocalyptic" with flames engulfing the plane's left wing and a trail of smoke billowing into the air. Video footage showed the aircraft lifting off the ground before plummeting back down in a massive fireball, with parts of a nearby building's roof shredded by debris.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that there were injuries but declined to comment on fatalities, instead urging all Kentuckians to pray for those affected. The governor also warned about the dangers posed by fuel and other flammable materials at the scene.
"It is still a very dangerous situation," he said. "We have responders sheltering behind different things due to the intensity of the flames." He added that fuel on the plane was an "extreme reason for concern in so many different ways."
The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, with the city's mayor expressing concerns about fuel safety at the airport. UPS's largest package-handling facility is located at the airport and employs thousands of workers.
A shelter-in-place order was issued to areas north of the airport, including residential neighborhoods, as a precautionary measure. The airport itself is just a 10-minute drive from downtown Louisville, which sits on the river bordering the Indiana state line.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft involved in the crash was manufactured in 1991 and had been carrying cargo for UPS. An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway, but initial reports suggest that it may have been a mechanical failure or another factor contributing to the tragedy.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as "apocalyptic" with flames engulfing the plane's left wing and a trail of smoke billowing into the air. Video footage showed the aircraft lifting off the ground before plummeting back down in a massive fireball, with parts of a nearby building's roof shredded by debris.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that there were injuries but declined to comment on fatalities, instead urging all Kentuckians to pray for those affected. The governor also warned about the dangers posed by fuel and other flammable materials at the scene.
"It is still a very dangerous situation," he said. "We have responders sheltering behind different things due to the intensity of the flames." He added that fuel on the plane was an "extreme reason for concern in so many different ways."
The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, with the city's mayor expressing concerns about fuel safety at the airport. UPS's largest package-handling facility is located at the airport and employs thousands of workers.
A shelter-in-place order was issued to areas north of the airport, including residential neighborhoods, as a precautionary measure. The airport itself is just a 10-minute drive from downtown Louisville, which sits on the river bordering the Indiana state line.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft involved in the crash was manufactured in 1991 and had been carrying cargo for UPS. An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway, but initial reports suggest that it may have been a mechanical failure or another factor contributing to the tragedy.
the thought of all those people being in the path of that explosion is heartbreaking 
and yeah, fuel safety at the airport should be a major concern right now 
has anyone heard anything from UPS or the investigators about what might've caused this disaster yet? 
. And it sounds like the whole scene was just terrifying 
. Can you even imagine being in a place where fuel is exploding everywhere? 
. We're all sending love and positive vibes to Louisville right now 
.
! Can you believe it? A UPS cargo jet just exploded on takeoff 
But seriously, fuel safety at airports is something we should all take seriously 
. Hope everyone affected gets the help they need 
and this airport is back up and running soon 
I'm thinkin like, mechanical failure or somethin but also what about all that fuel? It's crazy how it can spread so fast. Anyways, my thoughts are with the fam affected by this tragedy 
. It's always scary when there's a fire at an airport tho... hope everyone gets through this okay 
.
and UPS didn't even get basic maintenance done before sending it off 
. This whole situation feels super avoidable... all because of human error or maybe something more sinister? I don't know, but one thing's for sure: people are gonna be living with this trauma for a long time 
I mean, what's new at the Muhammad Ali airport, right? Another "apocalyptic" scene 
Where's the urgency? We need to know what happened here! 
and can you believe that UPS cargo jet was flyin' around with all them flammable materials?!?! crazy, right?!