At least seven people were killed and 11 were injured Tuesday when a UPS cargo plane burst into a massive fireball shortly after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said.
“Tonight’s news from Louisville is difficult as the death toll has now reached at least 7, with that number expected to rise,” Beshear posted on Twitter. “First responders are on scene and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation.”
“Aerial surveillance assets have been deployed, and we are working to keep the public informed and keep people in the area safe. We will share more information as it becomes available,” he said.
What do we know about the accident?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane crashed at about 5:15 p.m. local time (2215 GMT).
“The plane crashed after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky,” the FAA said in a statement.
UPS said the US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what happened.
The flight was taking off and headed for Honolulu, Hawaii.
CBS affiliate broadcaster WLKY showed footage of the crash. One wing of the plane was on fire and a large ball of fire erupted as soon as it hit the ground. Following the crash several buildings in an industrial area beyond the runway caught fire, and a thick plume of smoke rose into the evening sky, visible from miles away.
Louisville Metro Emergency Services said it had issued a shelter-in-place order for all locations within five miles (eight kilometers) of the airport.
Edited by: Srinivas Majumdaru