(NewsNation) — Seven people were killed and 11 were injured after a UPS plane crashed near an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday evening.
Gov. Andy Beshear said the number of deaths is expected to grow. Some of the injured were in critical condition and being treated at local hospitals.
More than 200 first responders were on the scene, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. As of Wednesday morning, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport reopened one runway, and a shelter-in-place order had been reduced.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Louisville air traffic control tower was evacuated “because of smoke and fumes,” but the area’s Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility — which helps manage air traffic — remains “operational.”
In a social media post late Tuesday night, Beshear revealed air monitoring assets had been deployed at the airport.
“Please, pray for the families affected, Louisville and all of Kentucky. We are hurting right now after a heartbreaking day,” Beshear added.
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Beshear said two businesses were in the main area hit by the plane: Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts. Duffy confirmed that “multiple buildings” were damaged in the crash.
The plane crashed after takeoff near Fern Valley and Grade Lane, just south of the airport, which has since been closed. Large fireballs exploded into the air, and smoke billowed from the scene due to the approximately 38,000 gallons of fuel on board for the flight to Hawaii.
UPS issued a statement confirming three crew members were on board the craft. The status of the crew was unknown as of Wednesday morning.
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In a statement, UPS said it was “terribly saddened” and was working with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts. As a result of the accident, we are halting package sorting operations tonight at Worldport. Family members seeking information should call 800-631-0604,” the company added.
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The NTSB is heading up the investigation, and the cause of the crash has not yet been announced. Crews are expected to arrive Wednesday morning.
An emergency stay-at-home order has been issued for all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River. The FAA released a statement with further details on the crash: “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.
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“The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.”
Louisville residents asked to avoid UPS plane crash site
The fire was still burning Tuesday night, and authorities urged the public to stay away from the scene. A shelter-in-place order was enforced within a mile of the airport. Authorities reduced the order to a quarter-mile radius around the site on Wednesday morning.
No hazardous cargo was on board the plane that would cause further environmental issues. Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Paul Humphrey said it was unclear when the crash site would be safe.
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“This will be an ongoing active scene for the next several days,” Humprey said. “We don’t know how long it’s going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation to take place.”
The University of Louisville announced all evening classes were canceled amid the shelter-in-place order. All Jefferson County Public Schools were closed Wednesday.
