A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Members of the National Transportation Safety Board will arrive in Kentucky later today to investigate a UPS cargo plane crash. The jet went down as it tried to take off from the Louisville International Airport. At least seven people died and 11 were hospitalized, and those numbers are expected to rise. Here's Louisville Public Media's Morgan Watkins.
MORGAN WATKINS, BYLINE: Around 5:14 p.m. local time Tuesday, the MD-11 cargo plane attempted to take off. Several videos showed the left engine on fire as it sped down the runway. The jet crashed through the airport perimeter, appeared to flip over and burst into flames. Here's Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
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ANDY BESHEAR: Anybody who has seen the images in the video know how violent this crash is. And there are a lot of families that are going to be waiting and wondering for a period of time.
WATKINS: A thick, billowing plume of dark smoke rose above the city. Robert Johnson works at UPS Worldport and saw the aftermath.
ROBERT JOHNSON: The smoke was so black it looked like clouds. That's how black the smoke was. So it was really, really burning. A hour and 40 minutes later, they still ain't got it under control. You can still see the flames.
WATKINS: The cargo plane was headed from Louisville to Honolulu, Hawaii. UPS confirmed three crew members were aboard, and authorities said there were also 220,000 pounds of jet fuel for the eight-hour flight. As the fire burned, authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for hours for residents living nearby. Governor Beshear said the air quality was a concern.
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BESHEAR: I can confirm that there was no specifically hazardous cargo on board of the plane that would create an environmental issue for those around the site, but the impact and where it impacted could create those types of situations. So please, if there is a shelter-in-place, follow it.
WATKINS: A petroleum recycling business and auto parts operation caught on fire. Local authorities say there were also several explosions at the crash site and urged people to stay away. Shelby Shircliff works at the oil recycling operation.
SHELBY SHIRCLIFF: I work there where those big black silo tanks is. It's an environmental company. We sell and recycle used oil and antifreeze and stuff. So currently, it looks like - that our tanks are exploding.
WATKINS: In the hours afterwards, emergency responders were still searching buildings and trying to account for people. The aging MD-11 has a mixed safety record, with 11 crashes over the years. They're now only flown by cargo companies.
For NPR News, I'm Morgan Watkins in Louisville.
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