A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, resulting in a large fire and a significant emergency response. The MD-11 aircraft, bound for Honolulu, went down around 5:15 p.m.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has asked for prayers for those affected, noting that injuries have been reported. The primary concern is the large amount of fuel, estimated around 280,000 gallons, that was on board the plane.
The area north of the airport, extending to the Ohio River, was initially placed under a shelter-in-place order due to safety concerns. Louisville is home to UPS’s largest package handling facility, a major employer and transportation hub. The facility handles hundreds of flights daily and processes hundreds of thousands of packages each hour.
