Louisville: At least three people were killed and 11 were injured when a cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville International Airport in the U.S. state of Kentucky, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said. “We believe we have at least three fatalities. I believe that number is going to get larger,” Beshear stated at a press briefing.

According to Namibia Press Agency, a UPS cargo plane bound for Honolulu crashed near the airport, the worldwide air hub for UPS, around 5:15 p.m. (2215 GMT). The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the details of the incident, highlighting the severity of the crash.

As the plane exploded into a fireball, responders faced significant challenges, with some having to find shelter behind various objects due to the dangerous situation. Governor Beshear noted the presence of flammable and potentially explosive materials at the crash site.

In response to the crash, the police initially issued a shelter-in-place order for locations within a 5-mile radius of the airport. This order was later extended to include all areas north of the airport up to the Ohio River.

The aircraft involved was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, manufactured in 1991. According to Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas, the plane is capable of taking off at a maximum weight of 633,000 pounds and can carry over 38,000 gallons of fuel.