(NewsNation) — Louisville, Kentucky, officials are in the cleanup phase following the recent UPS cargo plane crash that killed 14.
Mayor Craig Greenberg provided an update at a news conference on Monday, saying, “Early action prevented an even worse catastrophe from happening.”
Last Tuesday, three pilots were killed on a UPS MD-11 cargo plane bound for Honolulu when a large fire erupted in the left wing and an engine separated during takeoff. The plane crashed into businesses, killing an additional 11 people.
“In some places where the crash occurred, oil was two, three or more feet deep at the time,” Greenberg said, addressing environmental concerns related to the crash.
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Most of the oil runoff from the crash site was contained, according to Tony Parrott, executive director of the Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District.
The area’s waterways lead into the Ohio River, but the oil runoff was contained to one basin.
“That basin has been isolated ever since, and everything that has collected in that basin did not release to the waterways,” Parrott said.
UPS has enlisted a contractor to work with the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure proper cleanup, Greenberg said.
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Drinking water is not affected, but officials warn against touching, swimming, or kayaking in the waterways. They also warn to keep pets away.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday grounded the company’s MD-11s as a precaution. UPS and FedEx had already grounded their fleets before the FAA’s order.
Congressman Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., said the community has been in “utter shock, grief, not knowing how we will process.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
