On Tuesday, November 4th, a cargo plane operated by the global express logistics company UPS caught fire and exploded during takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, resulting in at least 3 deaths and 11 injuries. The local governor stated that the number of casualties may increase.
At 5:15 pm local time, the plane crashed while taking off from the UPS Worldport hub at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville bound for Honolulu.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, stated, “Currently, at least 3 people have been confirmed dead, but I believe the number will increase. Additionally, at least 11 people were injured in the accident, some with severe injuries.”
Governor Beshear mentioned that it’s still unclear about the condition of the three crew members on board the aircraft and stated, “Anyone who has seen the videos or images of the accident can understand the severity of this plane crash.”
The crashed aircraft was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane manufactured in 1991. Video footage shows the plane catching fire on the left wing shortly after takeoff, crashing shortly after becoming airborne, followed by an explosion creating a large fireball. In the footage, a building near the end of the runway had part of its roof destroyed by the explosion.
Witness Leirim Rodríguez described multiple huge fireballs exploding and rising to the sky followed by thick black smoke.
Employees at a restaurant about a 15-minute drive from the crash site also heard a loud noise. Employee Destyn Mitchell said, “The atmosphere inside the restaurant was very tense, people were scared, customers who had just sat down to eat left within 30 minutes, packing their food, as everyone wanted to quickly go home.”
Currently, the airport where the accident occurred is closed, with operations expected to resume at the earliest on Wednesday morning. Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey stated, “It’s still unclear how long it will take to ensure the safety of the site.”
The government has issued a shelter-in-place order, requiring immediate evacuation of all residents in the areas north of the Ohio River along the airport. The Louisville airport is only about a 10-minute drive from downtown, situated by the river, close to the Indiana state border, with residential areas, water parks, and museums in the vicinity.
Louisville houses UPS’s largest package handling center, employing thousands of workers, with 300 flights and over 400,000 packages sorted per hour.
Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe expressed concerns for the many local residents employed by UPS, who are now verifying the safety of their family and friends. She extended condolences to the affected families and friends.
(Reference: The Associated Press)