A UPS cargo jet exploded into a massive fireball Tuesday evening after crashing during takeoff from the company’s global air hub in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least three people and injuring 11 others in what officials described as a “violent” and “catastrophic” crash.
According to The Associated Press, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, built in 1991, was departing for Honolulu around 5:15 p.m. from UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport when it failed to gain altitude and burst into flames near the end of the runway.
“Right now we believe we have at least three fatalities, though I believe that number is going to get larger. We have at least 11 injuries, some of them very significant,” Gov. Andy Beshear said during a briefing.
Videos circulating online showed the jet’s left wing engulfed in flames before the aircraft lifted briefly off the runway, crashed, and exploded in a towering fireball. Parts of a nearby building’s roof were shredded by debris.
“Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” Beshear added.
The status of the three crew members aboard the aircraft has not yet been confirmed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the cause of the crash.
The fiery wreck shut down operations at the airport, which is one of the nation’s busiest logistics hubs. UPS Worldport employs thousands of Kentuckians, manages more than 300 flights per day, and sorts over 400,000 packages per hour.
“We all know somebody who works at UPS,” said Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe. “And they’re all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe. Sadly, some of those texts are probably going to go unanswered. My heart goes out to those families and those friends.”
Authorities ordered a shelter-in-place for neighborhoods north of the airport stretching to the Ohio River as emergency crews worked to contain the fires and potential hazards from the wreckage.
Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey said the airport would remain closed until Wednesday morning. “We don’t know how long it’s going to take to render that scene safe,” he said.
Residents across Louisville reported hearing and feeling the blast. Destyn Mitchell, who was working at an Outback Steakhouse 15 minutes away, said the explosion shook the restaurant.
“It was a very loud boom,” Mitchell recalled. “Everyone is really concerned. People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under 30 minutes and packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home.”
A video captured by Leirim Rodríguez, who happened to be nearby with her husband, showed multiple fireballs erupting in succession, followed by thick black smoke billowing hundreds of feet into the air.
The crash site sits just ten minutes from downtown Louisville, a densely populated area surrounded by homes, museums, and a water park — magnifying concerns about the potential for more casualties.
Gov. Beshear said rescue and recovery teams are still combing through the debris. “We’re praying for everyone affected,” he said. “Louisville is strong, but tonight, our city is hurting.”
