Tragedy strikes in the U.S. as a UPS cargo plane crashes in Kentucky, leaving multiple casualties and massive destruction. The aircraft reportedly burst into flames shortly after impact near Louisville airport. Kentucky Governor has released a major update, confirming ongoing rescue operations and investigations into what caused the deadly crash. Eyewitnesses describe terrifying scenes as emergency teams rushed to the burning wreckage. Stay tuned for live updates on this devastating aviation disaster.
#CargoPlaneCrash #UPSPlaneCrash #AlabamaCargoPlaneCrash #BirminghamPlaneCrash #KentuckyPlaneCrash #LouisvillePlaneCrash #PlaneCrashToday #PlaneCrashVideo #PlaneCrashFire #UPSCargoCrash #PlaneCrashAmerica #AirportPlaneCrash #LivePlaneCrash #UPSCrash #BreakingPlaneCrash
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#CargoPlaneCrash #UPSPlaneCrash #AlabamaCargoPlaneCrash #BirminghamPlaneCrash #KentuckyPlaneCrash #LouisvillePlaneCrash #PlaneCrashToday #PlaneCrashVideo #PlaneCrashFire #UPSCargoCrash #PlaneCrashAmerica #AirportPlaneCrash #LivePlaneCrash #UPSCrash #BreakingPlaneCrash
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NewsTranscript
03:42At this time, we've got some initial numbers, but let me tell you, I expect them to grow.
03:47Right now, we believe we have at least three fatalities, so I believe that number is going to get larger.
03:54We have at least 11 injuries, some of them very significant, that are being treated by local hospitals.
04:00Again, I think that that number will get larger.
04:04There is a victim family reunification center being set up at the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy.
04:10That is 2911 Taylor Boulevard.
04:14Victim services personnel will be on site and on location for anyone who needs information.
04:20The United Way is also offering shelter to anybody that's been impacted.
04:24You can call them at 502-376-6617.
04:29Updates on the operation of the Louisville International Airport will be shared after we're completed here around 8-15 via press conference with Louisville Emergency Management.
04:42Right now, we believe that the main area hit consisted of two businesses, though we know there were more businesses impacted.
04:51The first is Kentucky Petroleum Recycling.
04:54We are seeking more information, but it looks like they were hit pretty directly.
05:00The second is Grade A Auto Parts.
05:03Grade A has been in contact.
05:04They've accounted for all of their employees, but two.
05:07But they do not know how many other individuals, customers, or others could have been on site at the time.
05:14Because of the nature of these facilities, it may be some time before we can account for everyone or know that no one else was on the grounds.
05:23They're going to provide us with descriptions of the two missing employees soon.
05:28Again, there's no direct information about non-employees who were there at the time.
05:35The radius for the shelter-in-place has been adjusted.
05:38It is now anything north of the airport to the Ohio River.
05:42That includes, without limitation, South Louisville, Old Louisville, and downtown.
05:48LG&E had some equipment that has been damaged, but they're reporting no major outages at the time.
05:55They may, for safety purposes, have to have some outages.
05:59Please understand that if that's done, that's to protect you and the people working on it.
06:05I've been in direct contact with the CEO of Ford Motor Company.
06:09I can tell you that the Ford plant there was not hit, though it has lost power or did lose power for a period of time.
06:17But with the number of employees working there, that's a blessing.
06:20I've also been in touch with the head of security for the convention center.
06:24And everyone is sheltering in place that is there.
06:27They have stopped people coming in for the upcoming events for people's safety.
06:32And I know they'll be sending out additional information.
06:37Anybody who has seen the images and the video know how violent this crash is.
06:45And there are a lot of families that are going to be waiting and wondering for a period of time.
06:51We're going to try to get them that information as fast as we can.
06:54But if this is a family you know, please give them your support.
06:59Please give them your prayers.
07:00Please give them your love.
07:02And be with them because the toughest moments, and I can say it from personal experience,
07:07are when you're wondering whether that person that you know and you care about has survived something like this.
07:13We do not, at the moment, have the status of the crew.
07:19Watching that video, I think we're all very, very worried about them.
07:24I'm going to turn it over now to Julie Carr with the mayor's office.
07:28Let me say I've talked to the mayor six times since this has happened.
07:33He was out of town, which was completely scheduled.
07:37He is moving heaven and earth to be back, and he will be back.
07:41And from somebody who has been out of town when some of these things happened,
07:45let me tell you, he is completely and fully on top of it, in communication,
07:50and his crew behind me is responding as well as I've seen any group do.
07:54And trust me, I've sadly seen a lot of disasters, whether like this or through weather.
08:00So I'll turn it over to Julie Carr.
08:01I'm Deputy Mayor Julie Carr.
08:09First and foremost, Mayor Greenberg has been in constant contact with those on the ground,
08:15emergency operations, Governor Beshear, and our federal partners.
08:20And he would like me to express that he and Rachel have the victims of today's crash in their hearts and prayers.
08:27He is asking the entire city of Louisville to join them in praying for the victims,
08:35their families, and our first responders, who bravely rush to the scene to save people
08:41and are still actively working to put the fire out.
08:46Our hearts are with those affected by this tragic incident.
08:50The mayor's office is working closely with first responders, federal authorities,
08:54and emergency management teams to respond and secure the area.
09:00The mayor is traveling and is expected to be back in Louisville before 9 p.m.
09:05He will be here to update our city as more information becomes available.
09:10I'm now going to ask Jody Mineman, Executive Director of Emergency Services,
09:15to give more of an update.
09:18All right.
09:19We're going to hear from Jody in a second.
09:21I also have a statement from Representative Morgan McGarvey, who is in Washington, D.C.
09:28He says,
09:28Tonight, our community was rocked by a devastating plane crash at the Louisville Airport.
09:33Representative McGarvey says,
09:34My heart breaks for the pilots, crew, and their families, and he's praying for everyone impacted.
09:39He's grateful for the bravery of our first responders as they continue their work throughout the night
09:44to respond quickly and heroically to this horrific incident.
09:47We still do not have complete details on how this tragedy occurred,
09:52but I've spoken with the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board
09:55and will continue to stay in contact with state, local, and federal authorities
09:58to get answers and do what we can to help all those affected.
10:03And I know your emergency management director is going to say the same thing,
10:05but the thing I left out is do not go to the crash site.
10:10You will put people in danger.
10:12You will put yourself in danger.
10:14There may be people that still need to be rescued.
10:16You do not be the reason that the first responders cannot get to them.
10:21There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive at the site.
10:27Chief O'Neill was filling me in on that.
10:30All of his people and everybody else there are currently safe, but they are trained.
10:35The general public is not.
10:37So do not go to the site.
10:40Director?
10:40Thank you, Governor.
10:43So we provided and are assisting currently with on-scene coordination between all the agencies.
10:48And initially, you know, obviously everybody can see how big this site actually is.
10:53You're not only dealing with the aircraft itself, but you're dealing with several businesses that were affected.
10:57Some of those businesses have some issues and some hazards on them that we have to address as well.
11:02So establishing that incident management team and that initial unified command between all the agencies that you see standing behind me,
11:09as well as the ones that are on site.
11:11The Oklahoma Fire Department was the initial local fire department that was dispatched,
11:15and then the City of Louisville was dispatched very recently after that,
11:19after multiple calls started coming into our 911 center.
11:22But there's three phases of this response.
11:24It's life safety, it's incident stabilization, and it's property conservation.
11:27And we're still in the life safety step in that process.
11:32And what I mean by that is we're still going door-to-door in the area to make sure that every business,
11:38every facility, and there's a couple private residences everybody's accounted for,
11:43and everybody has evacuated that immediate area.
11:46Our shelter-in-place, we initially did that at a five-mile radius because the wind was doing some things
11:50and pushing the smoke in different areas.
11:52And as hot as the fire was, it was kind of creating its own atmosphere and doing really what it wanted to do.
11:58So we're working to narrow that.
12:01You heard the governor already say that we've narrowed it a little bit,
12:03and we hope in the next couple of hours to narrow that a little bit more.
12:08We started to provide initial air monitoring very close and immediate on site.
12:13We continue that air monitoring now.
12:15We've got the 41st CST that's on site that's providing that.
12:18And they're also providing us some plume modeling that will give us the opportunity, again,
12:24a little bit later in the shortcoming to be able to narrow that as well.
12:29Like the governor said, stay away from the area.
12:32You know, there's a lot of emergency response agencies there, not only from Jefferson County,
12:36but our surrounding counties.
12:37I can't thank the response enough.
12:40You know, but, again, we're still in that life safety phase.
12:42Instant stabilization, they're doing that at the same time.
12:45Like I said, it's a very large area that's been affected by this,
12:50and they have to narrow that down and start to go into that area to make sure that they can identify
12:54all the future hazards that can present themselves during this emergency.
12:59The area that we've got isolated as far as traffic has been done by Little Metro Police
13:04and our sheriff's office.
13:06Again, so, you know, take a look at those, and please stay out of that area so it helps
13:11with our life safety and our incident stabilization.
13:13We'll continue this as long as we can.
13:15They have been able to make some headway on the fire to start to get in there.
13:19There were several explosions initially from the site itself just by some of the hazards
13:25that were created by the facilities that it impacted.
13:29Like I said, we'll be on site.
13:30We'll provide more information as we get it through the night.
13:37Paul Humphrey, Chief of Police, Little Metro Police.
13:40I will reiterate what the governor and Director Myman said.
13:43Please avoid the area and allow first responders to do the work to rescue, recover, and stabilize
13:47that scene.
13:49I will also say that in the meantime, before we can have a more formal update, please direct
13:54all of your attention to the social media of Louisville Emergency Management for any real-time
13:59updates.
14:01We will have a family reunification center set up at the Louisville Metro Police Academy
14:06at 2911 Taylor Boulevard.
14:09There we'll have our victim services unit that will be able to help any families get
14:13in contact with anyone they need.
14:15Again, please stay away from the area.
14:17Allow those first responders to do their job to make sure that that scene is as safe as possible.
14:23This will be an ongoing active scene for the next several days.
14:27We don't know how long it's going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation
14:32to take place.
14:34The NTSB will be the lead in the investigation, so as of right now, we will not be able to
14:39answer any questions related to the cause of this crash until the NTSB is able to give
14:44us more information.
14:45And with that, I will turn it over to the center.
14:47Good evening, Chief Brian O'Neill, Louisville Fire Department.
14:57I want to reiterate, this has happened in Oklahoma, and so I want to make sure we give credit
15:02to the fact that the Oklahoma Fire Department, first on the scene, took command of the scene,
15:07and so we are there in support to help them.
15:10And we've got units from the rest of the Jefferson County Fire Departments there, as well as surrounding
15:15counties, obviously the airport fire department is a huge factor in this as well.
15:19We've also received assistance from some of the industry around here that has firefighting
15:25foam.
15:26That is absolutely necessary.
15:27As you heard, this was a UPS plane that was taking off, getting ready to go all the way
15:31to Honolulu, Hawaii.
15:32So we're talking about over 250,000 gallons of jet fuel that was on that plane.
15:38So we're talking about a very, very dangerous situation.
15:41The area that's affected on Grade Lane at Melton, and it's about a city block wide, you've got
15:47fuel recycling storage and some bulk fuel storage that's right there.
15:52You also have the auto parts area.
15:54There's a lot of issues that are going on with being able to surround and try to contain this
15:59fire.
16:00When I left the scene about 40 minutes ago, crews there were doing an amazing job.
16:05Again, all credit to the firefighters on the scene.
16:08They are doing incredible work, and they are containing this fire.
16:12Basically, you have to surround it.
16:14Where I was with some of our crews was on the north and west side, and you've got Okalone
16:18and other people that were leading the charge on that south side to try to just bring it
16:22in and bring it in and bring it in.
16:23But as I said, we're dealing with not only the initial fuel spill, but all the additional
16:27that was on site there.
16:28So it's going to be a little while.
16:30I just can't, I've got to reiterate, I know you're going to be tired of hearing this, but
16:33you're going to keep hearing it.
16:34Again, try to be patient.
16:36Listen to emergency management for any updates.
16:39I know you might be eager to try to call to try to find out what's going on, what's going
16:44on.
16:44I promise you, people are busy.
16:46People are working.
16:46They're doing everything they can to keep you safe.
16:49I want to address really quick the rest of the city.
16:51We have called in one of our off shifts.
16:54We have three different platoons of firefighters, so we've got off shift firefighters, the staff
16:58to back up, so rest assured, the entire city is still protected and still covered with plenty
17:04of fire safety, even though we have so many units that are down there south of the airport.
17:09So if there's any need for any other emergencies, you are covered.
17:13You are protected.
17:19I am State Senator Ketora Heron, and I represent the 35th Senate District, and on behalf of
17:25the Kentucky Senate General Assembly, I want to acknowledge how jarring it is for the residents
17:31of Louisville and the surrounding areas to watch this tragedy hit so close to home, to
17:37happen in a place where many of us frequent on a regular basis, that many of us watch our
17:42family members and loved ones pass through on a regular basis, and to have to process this
17:48information, and to know that there's been loss of lives, it's very hurtful, and my thoughts
18:01and prayers go out to the families that we know have been impacted, to the surrounding neighborhoods
18:08and communities, and I just want to urge our residents, as it's already been said, to be
18:15patient, to stay away from the scene, and to come together at this time of this tragedy,
18:24and I want to, again, thank the first responders, the ones that are still there on the scene,
18:29and we will make sure that we keep you all updated with additional information, and I will
18:33turn it over to Representative Lisa Wilner.
18:38I'm State Representative Lisa Wilner, representing House District 35, which goes all around the
18:48airport.
18:49This is a sad and heavy occasion.
18:53I am filled with gratitude and respect for the work of our first responders, for their courage,
19:00for their training, for their teamwork, for their bringing so many different units together
19:05on such short notice.
19:06I'm grateful to our governor for getting here so fast from Frankfurt.
19:12I just, my heart is with the families, all the community members who work for UPS, the folks
19:22who work at the airport and are there every day and are already under so much strain because
19:27of the government shutdown.
19:28This is a time for us as a community to come together.
19:34Once again, I am so proud to be a Louisvillian.
19:37We are a city of compassion.
19:39We are a city of love.
19:41I just want to ask that we keep one another in our prayers and our thoughts, that we extend
19:47kindness at every opportunity, and that we really use this opportunity to look out for
19:53our neighbors and to take care of ourselves and one another.
20:03Okay.
20:04My name is Betsy Rui, and I represent Metro Council District 21, and the airport is in the heart
20:09of my district.
20:11And first, I would like to thank all the leadership of the first responders behind us and all the
20:17first responders out there in the field.
20:19This is what you all trained for.
20:21I'm sad that we have to actually use all your training, but I'm glad that you have it.
20:27And my heart goes out to everybody at UPS, because this is a UPS town.
20:36My cousin's a UPS pilot.
20:38My AIDS tennis partner's a UPS pilot.
20:41The intern in my office works overnight at UPS to pay for college.
20:45We all know somebody who works at UPS, and they're all texting their friends, their family,
20:51trying to make sure everyone is safe.
20:54Sadly, some of those texts are probably going to go unanswered.
20:58My heart goes out to those families and those friends.
21:03And thank you.
21:05I want to acknowledge we also have our FBI special agent in charge with us today.
21:12We are grateful for her participation.
21:15With that, I'll open it up to questions, but a couple of things.
21:18I'm not going to speculate about the cause.
21:20That's for the NTSB to determine.
21:23And do not want to interfere in that in any way.
21:26And the other thing I'd say is we'll get more information on the numbers of fatalities.
21:33We'll get more information on the number of injuries.
21:37Know that information is fluid.
21:39I would tell you, after the tornado in Mayfield, I was standing outside of a factory where I was sure 100 people were dead.
21:47And we ended up only losing 13, and that's a lot of people.
21:50But pray.
21:51It works.
21:53It helps.
21:53Let's pray that the number of Kentuckians or any other folks that we lost stays as low as possible.
22:02With that, if you have questions, I'll do my best.
22:05People who are currently trapped, are you responding to any of that right now?
22:10I don't believe yet.
22:14So we do not know of anybody that are trapped, but the units on scene, as I said, we're trying to surround and contain that.
22:20As we move in, we are searching every building, every area.
22:24And like Director Myman mentioned, all the buildings that are outside of that immediate hazard zone are being searched as well to make sure that those are clear and safe.
22:30If you see the live images that, thankfully, emergency management can get, you see these heroic firefighters moving from building to building to building as fast as they can.
22:44Because if somebody's trapped, they're going to get to them.
22:46And we're seeing the shelter-in-place change.
22:50Just recently, they asked for anyone who's in the shelter-in-place to turn off any air intake systems as soon as possible.
22:58Can you explain the range of the shelter-in-place?
23:02Yeah, so right now it's from the airport, basically from the airport or right around the great, I'm sorry, the Outerloop area north.
23:09If you live in Jefferson County and you're in that, I know that's a circle that's on the screen up there behind you guys.
23:14But, you know, we're thinking anybody north of that, we hope to be able to narrow that down as accurate plume modeling is taking place.
23:22And it should be done now.
23:23So we may be able to reduce that even more, that footprint even more here just in the next couple of hours.
23:29And, Jody, what are the concerns for the people in that shelter-in-place?
23:32Right now, that's it.
23:33The smoke, for the most part, is going up into the atmosphere and going north.
23:36We've also been in touch with our partners from Clark County, Indiana, because some of the smoke is going towards them as well.
23:41So they're making decisions.
23:42So if you live on the other side of the river, please make sure that you're paying attention.
23:45If there is any notifications that are going out over there, make sure you're paying attention to those as well.
23:52And there's a lot of numbers we're getting from the fire chief.
23:56I think he said 220,000 gallons.
23:59It's 220,000 pounds, which is about 38,000 gallons.
24:04So he remembered those numbers a lot better than I would without them written down.
24:09Anybody else?
24:10I believe you said that the status of the three crew members is unknown right now.
24:14Can you elaborate on why that is?
24:16We have not received information we can confirm on their status.
24:21From the videos that I've seen, I'm very concerned for them.
24:25But, again, I'm still praying because I've seen people make it out of things in these last six years that I didn't think were possible.
24:32We'll have more information soon.
24:35And we'll also want to make sure before we confirm anyone specific is deceased that we've talked to their family who deserve to hear that information first.
24:44I know that you're asking the community to be patient because it's a very fluid situation, but obviously people are very concerned.
24:52When do you guys think the next press conference will be beyond the 815 one?
24:56Yeah, we'll get that information out.
24:59Depending on how much news there is, we may be able to get it out on social media or released directly.
25:06But we'll work with our news partners, knowing that this is information that people want and need, and please direct any questions to us.
25:13But we don't currently have another one scheduled yet.
25:17We'd want to make sure we had enough information that came in to warn it.
25:21Has there been any update at all when it comes to possibly resuming airport operations in Louisville?
25:28So the airport is going to have their press conference here right when we're done and are going to start addressing that.
25:34What I'd say, even with somebody who's supposed to have a flight here soon, is they should only do it when it's safe.
25:41And this is a great airport that I've used a lot.
25:46I trust their leadership, and I look forward to hearing what they have to say.
25:50All right, thank you all very much.
25:52And again, tough day for Louisville, tough day for Kentucky, tough day for this region.
25:58We are strong people.
25:59I've seen it time and time again, flooding, tornadoes, shootings.
26:05That's the last time I drove here this fast to make sure I got here.
26:10We've always banded together.
26:12We will again.
26:13Let's make sure before anything else, we put the families of those that are lost, the families of those that we're worried about first.
26:20They deserve it.
26:21Let's make sure we pray for them and we support them with everything we have.
26:24Thank you, Kentucky.
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