Copyright mirror
A huge fire has been raging in a US city this morning after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded during a disastrous takeoff. Seven people have died and another 11 left with "very significant" injuries after the disaster at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on Wednesday, with authorities fearing the death toll could rise further. The plane crashed at about 5.15pm local time (10pm GMT) after its left wing caught fire, causing a huge fireball as it plummeted to the ground. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, made in 1991, was departing for Hawaii from the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, the state's largest city. Here are some unanswered questions about the crash: The victims of the crash have not been identified publicly - but we do know that some of them were on the ground. Four of those killed were not aboard the plane, according to Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill. It's still not known what exactly caused the crash, and an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation is underway. Footage of the take-off showed flames coming from the plane’s left wing and trail of smoke. The aircraft then lifted slightly off the ground, before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Several loud booms were heard in a row by local residents as what appeared to be multiple explosions took place, while one video showed a building on fire at the end of the airport's runway. A fuel recycling business suffered a direct hit from the plane, while a car parts business was also hit by the wreckage. Pablo Rojas, an aviation expert and lawyer, said based on the videos it appears the aircraft was struggling to gain altitude amid the fire on its wing. The large amount of fuel on the plane would have created the perfect conditions for the explosion or the fire to grow, and he added: "There’s very little to contain the flames and really the plane itself is almost acting like a bomb because of the amount of fuel." The FAA and NTSB will look to examine crucial data from the aeroplane's 'black box' recorder once it is recovered as they probe the cause of the crash. This could provide a valuable insight into what happened in cockpit in the seconds leading up to the disaster, including when the crew became aware of the fire. Delivery firm UPS says three crew members were on board, with all still unaccounted for, while people living in the area have been told to seek urgent shelter as flames spread across the area. A statement from the delivery firm yesterday evening said: "We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved. UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers. "We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the accident and are staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts."
