LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A UPS cargo plane met with disaster shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, resulting in a significant fire on the ground. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft, scheduled to fly to Honolulu, crashed at around 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Eyewitness accounts and social media posts depicted alarming scenes, with a considerable plume of black smoke rising into the sky and a visible fire on the ground.

The Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed injuries in a recent social media update, advising the public to steer clear of the crash site. Images captured by local television stations showed a dramatic trail of flames emanating from a parking lot as emergency responders rushed to douse the flames.

The aircraft in question was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, originally manufactured in 1991. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expressed his concern on social media, stating, First responders are onsite, and we will share more information as available. Please pray for the pilots, crew, and everyone affected. We will share more soon. A shelter-in-place order has been extended to areas north of the airport, reaching all the way to the Ohio River, as authorities work to manage the unfolding situation.}