Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill says the fire at Louisville international airport is almost entirely contained, with fire crews still on the ground.
He is urging residents to avoid touching any debris left in the area following the crash and subsequent fire, and instead report it to city authorities.
Breaking
At least seven people have died as a result of the crash in Louisville, with the number expected to rise further, according to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
“First responders are onsite and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation,” he says in a post on X.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg is currently giving the final briefing of the evening, and says he believes there are additional fatalities but he is unable to give specifics as families are still being informed.
The mayor says there are more than 100 firefighters on the scene at Louisville Airport, many of whom are searching for additional victims.
US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy says the images coming out of Kentucky are “heartbreaking”, adding “Please join me in prayer for the Louisville community and flight crew impacted by this horrific crash.”
In a post on X he also confirms that the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will lead the investigation.
The Louisville Metro Emergency Services has just reduced the shelter-in-place order to people who are within a 1-mile (1.6km) radius of the Airport.
One runway at the airport has reopened but departing flights are cancelled, according to Jonathan Bevin, a public information officer at Louisville International Airport.
Breaking
Four people are confirmed to have died in the plane crash, according to officer Jonathan Bevin, a public information officer at Louisville International Airport.
At least 11 other people are injured and have been taken to hospitals.
The full scale of the death toll and damage in Kentucky is still becoming clear after Tuesday’s cargo plane crash. He is what we know so far:
We’re expecting another update from officials in the state shortly and will bring you more information as soon as we have it.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says they are launching a “go-team” to investigate the crash in Louisville.
The NTSB investigative team will arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday, when they will also hold a media briefing to update the public.
The time and location of that briefing is still to be determined.
Louisville, Kentucky is home to UPS Worldport, a global hub for the delivery firm’s air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility in the world.
During the briefing, Metro councilwoman Betsy Ruhe noted that Louisville is a “UPS town”, and that every resident would know somebody who works for company.
“They’re all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe,” she said.
State Senator Keturah Herron said similarly, adding that “many of us watch our family members and loved ones pass through [Louisville airport] on a regular basis”, and acknowledged how “jarring” the ongoing scene at the airport would be for residents.
As we reported earlier, the airport has now closed their airfield, as first responders continue trying to control the ongoing fire and secure the scene.
During the earlier briiefing, we reported that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said he believed there are at least three fatalities in the plane crash, and a further 11 injured.
He said that he did not currently “have the status” of the crew onboard the cargo plane, and said that following a review of crash footage, authorities were “very very worried about them”.
Airplane manufacturer Boeing says it is “following the news out of Louisville” and is “ready to support our customer”.
“Our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected,” it says in a statement on its website, adding that it has offered technical assistance to the National Transportation Safety Board, which will lead the investigation into the crash.
As we reported earlier, the aircraft that crashed was an MD-11F, a large freight plane originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which later merged with Boeing in 1997.
Officials, taking questions earlier from journalists, were asked if anyone was believed to be trapped after the crash.
Chief Brian O’Neill from the Louisville Fire Department says he does “not know of anybody” trapped.
Louisville Metro Police Department chief Paul Humphrey says it’s unclear how long it will take to make the crash site safe for an investigation to take place.
Humphrey says they will not be able to answer any questions regarding the cause of the crash, as the investigation will be managed by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The briefing has now ended, and officials were unable to clarify when the next update might be.
There were 38,000 gallons of fuel (about 144,000 litres) onboard the plane when it crashed while beginning its flight.
That amount of fuel weighs around 220,000 pounds (100,000 kilograms), according to local officials.
The resulting fire is still burning, with the fire department working to contain it and the public warned not to go near the crash site.
Flames and enormous plumes of smoke can be seen rising from Louisville International Airport following the crash.
Authorities say the fire is still burning, and emergency first responders have been battling to control the blaze. The public is being warned not to go near the site.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warns people not to go to the site of the crash.
“There may be people that still need to be rescued. Do not be the reason that the first responders cannot get to them,” he says.
“There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is describing a “catastrophic crash” at Louisville International airport, and says it is an “all hands on deck response”.
He says that the plane was not carrying any specifically hazardous cargo onboard that would create an environmental issue for people around the site, but said the impact of the crash could create those scenes.
The crash site includes a petroleum recycling business. This is obviously a worry, as petroleum is a highly flammable liquid. It also included an auto-parts business.
He warns nearby Louisville residents to keep sheltering in place.
Watch: Kentucky governor expects plane crash deaths to increase
Authorities are briefing the press and public on the crash now.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says that he believes there are at least three fatalities in the plane crash.
A further 11 people have been injured, he says, adding that some of the injuries are “very significant”.
He says: “I think that that number will get larger.”
Later, Beshear says: “We do not at the moment have the status of the crew. Watching that video, I think we’re all very, very worried about them.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear are preparing to hold a briefing on the crash shortly. We will bring you the latest developments from that briefing as they happen.
