The flames from the incident sparked multiple fires on the ground in an industrial area near the international airport.
Authorities reported that at least seven individuals lost their lives and 11 others sustained injuries after a UPS wide-body cargo aircraft crashed and exploded into a large fireball shortly after taking off from Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday.
The flames from the crash ignited several fires on the ground in an industrial corridor adjacent to the international airport, which apparently accounted for one confirmed death and the injuries of 11 individuals, who were subsequently transported to the hospital, according to airport officials.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated that some individuals suffered "very significant" injuries and anticipated that the casualty count might rise as emergency responders worked to extinguish the ongoing fires near the airport.
The triple-engine aircraft was fueled for an 8-1/2 hour journey to Honolulu and had a crew of three, as reported by UPS. Federal officials indicated that all individuals on board are presumed dead. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed the seventh fatality.
Video footage from WLKY, a CBS affiliate, captured the crash as it unfolded. The video showed flames on one wing during takeoff, followed by a fireball as the plane struck the ground. Several structures in an industrial zone beyond the runway were ablaze after the crash, with thick black smoke billowing into the evening sky.
"UPS Flight 2976 crashed at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky," stated the Federal Aviation Administration.
One critical aspect that investigators will examine is whether the engine detached prior to the crash, according to a source familiar with the situation, who noted video reports showing debris on the airfield. US air safety expert and pilot John Cox stated that investigators must determine why the three-engine plane was unable to take off after the first engine ignited. "The fire is too large for a standard engine fire," Cox remarked. "It's excessively large."
"That aircraft should have been able to operate on two engines. Therefore, we need to investigate what prevented it from flying," he continued.
Fires were still active near the airport, as noted by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg in a social media update shortly before 7 p.m. ET (0000 GMT).
Authorities have issued a shelter-in-place directive for all areas within a five-mile (8 km) radius of the airport.
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