Witnesses could be heard yelling “holy s***” as a UPS cargo plane burst into a massive fireball Tuesday night after it crashed during takeoff from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky.
Several videos of the UPS plane crash, purported to be clips from an on-board camera, showed the plane engulfed in flames shortly after takeoff — before sliding across the ground and igniting the grass around the runway.
At least seven people were killed in the accident, the BBC reported.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said three crew members were believed to be among the dead after the cargo plane exploded as it took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport around 5:15 p.m. local time (22:15 GMT).
In addition to the seven dead, another 11 people were injured in the plane crash, which sent thick clouds of black smoke into the sky. Officials reportedly warned that people had suffered “very serious” injuries in the incident and the death toll could rise.
What caused the massive fire?
An investigation is currently underway into what caused the accident.
However, officials noted that the sheer scale of the fire was fueled by the sheer volume of jet fuel on board, as the plane was carrying about 38,000 gallons (144,000 liters) of fuel at the time of the crash.
Although the exact cargo was not confirmed, authorities said the plane was not carrying any materials that posed an increased risk of contamination.
Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neal said the amount of fuel spilled at the crash site made it a “very dangerous situation.”
Impact of the crash – affected businesses in the vicinity, orders issued
The fire from the crash of the UPS cargo plane also engulfed at least two nearby businesses, including an oil recycling company, the BBC reported.
At a news conference, Gov. Beshear warned people not to go to the crash site, saying “there are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive.”
A shelter-in-place order was placed within a five-mile radius of the airport due to fears of further explosions and air pollution, before it was reduced to one mile later in the evening.
All departures from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport were also canceled Tuesday night.
Was it a Boeing?
The plane that exploded into a massive fireball was a three-engine MD-11F that first entered service 34 years ago with Thai Airways as an airliner but was transferred to UPS in 2006.
The aircraft was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in 1997.
