Nov 4 (Reuters) – At least three people were killed and 11 injured after a UPS (UPS.N), opens new tab wide-body cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, erupting into a massive fireball shortly after takeoff, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Tuesday.
Beshear said some people suffered “very significant” injuries and that he expected the number of casualties to grow as emergency personnel extinguish fires still burning near the airport.
The triple-engine plane was fueled for an 8-1/2 hour flight to Honolulu. It had three crew members on board, according to UPS. Federal officials said all were feared dead.
Television channel WLKY, a CBS affiliate, showed video of the crash as it occurred. Fire on one wing was visible in the video as the plane took off, and a huge fireball erupted as it hit the ground. Several buildings in an industrial area beyond the runway were on fire after the crash, with thick black smoke rising into the evening sky.
“UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
