A large UPS cargo aircraft erupted in flames during its takeoff from Kentucky on Tuesday evening, resulting in several injuries and creating a significant smoke plume that drifted across the city as fires raged along nearly a mile.

The MD-11 aircraft ignited at approximately 5:15 p.m. shortly after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The plane was en route to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Footage circulating on social media captured a fiery explosion emanating from the center of the plane just after it left the runway.

UPS officials have verified that three crew members were on board during the incident.

Residents reported a loud blast that resonated throughout Louisville. A MetroSafe supervisor noted that initial reports came in as explosion alerts, and Louisville Metro Police spokesperson, Matt Sanders, indicated the department received around 20 service calls related to the event.

In response to the incident, Louisville Metro Police announced via social media that multiple agencies were actively addressing the emergency south of the airport. Meanwhile, locals shared various images showing the extensive smoke cloud that filled the sky.

Authorities said it remains an active scene with ‘smoke and debris,’ as they issued a shelter-in-place order for a five mile radius around the airport, which was later expanded north of the airport.

‘Please remain away from the area until further notice,’ the police department urged. 

Multiple people were injured when a plane crashed near a Kentucky airport on Tuesday, sending a massive plume of smoke across the city

The explosion caused a fire to spread out for nearly a mile in Louisville

The crash involved a UPS MD-11 plane with three crew members onboard

 The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the incident.

In the meantime, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he has been notified about the tragic incident.

‘Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected,’ he urged on social media. 

The explosion came just hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats are making air travel unsafe by forcing air traffic controllers to go without pay through the longest government shutdown in US history.

She urged just five Democrats in the Senate to join Republicans in voting for a ‘clean continuing resolution’ to extend funding for the government and make sure that Americans who control plane movements at US airports are paid going into the busiest travel season of the year.

This week, federal workers with control centers are set to miss their second paycheck since the start of the shutdown. 

But travelers at three major US airports were already facing hours-long delays on Tuesday as staffing shortages worsen on the 35th day of the shutdown. 

According to multiple flight alerts, the Houston and Phoenix air traffic centers implemented Ground Delay Programs, effectively slowing the rate of arrivals to prevent overload in the control system.

Authorities have issued a shelter-in-place order around the international airport 

Authorities said it remains an active scene with ‘smoke and debris’

The FAA said the delays are primarily due to ‘staffing’ shortages, with some flights facing up to nearly three-hour waits before takeoff or landing clearance. 

At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the FAA set the arrival rate at just 40 flights per hour, compared to typical peak rates closer to 70. 

The advisory lists average delays of 40 minutes and maximums topping one hour and 40 minutes, stretching across all major departure zones in the US. 

At nearby William P Hobby Airport (HOU), the situation is even worse, with the FAA limiting arrivals to only 16 flights per hour and maximum delays nearing three hours.

The restrictions apply to flights departing from every major regional control center in the contiguous US, meaning ripple effects could extend far beyond Texas. 

In Phoenix, controllers at Sky Harbor International Airport are also slowing incoming flights. 

The FAA set a rate of 40 arrivals per hour, citing the same staffing shortage. Average delays are hovering around 45 minutes, with some flights waiting over an hour and a half to land.

The programs are in place through the early hours of Wednesday morning, potentially affecting hundreds of flights nationwide. 

 This is a breaking news story and will be updated.