Louisville: A United Parcel Service (UPS) cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday evening, killing at least seven people and injuring 11 others. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter, went down around 5:15 pm local time soon after departure for Honolulu, officials said.

The plane reportedly struck two nearby businesses after takeoff, setting off a massive fireball that engulfed the area in flames and smoke. Witnesses said they saw the aircraft veer to one side before crashing near the airport’s vast logistics hub. Local authorities ordered residents north of the airport to shelter in place due to thick smoke and fears of hazardous fumes from the burning jet fuel. ADVERTISEMENT

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