Crashed plane was carrying 280,000 gallons of jet fuel as a shelter in place is issued around Louisville airport

A UPS cargo plane that crashed with three people on board was carrying 280,000 gallons of jet fuel.

Police and fire crews were called to the scene, near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, at around 5pm.

Footage shows the aircraft taking off from with its left wing in flames before it erupts into a fireball.

Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed the plane was carrying 280,000 gallons of fuel.

Flames could be seen pouring from the left engine area, with the pilots seemingly unaware.

The plane appeared to tip upwards slightly, suggesting the wheels just leave the tarmac, before a colossal fireball mushrooms into the sky.

Footage filmed from an adjacent road and posted to social media showed a fireball ripping across the land – presumably following the path of the blazing plane.

Broadcast news images showed a large trail of flames and a plume of smoke leading from a parking lot as fire trucks tried to douse the fire.

UPS confirmed it was Flight 2976 from Louisville to Honolulu that crashed this evening,

There were three people on board but injuries or possible fatalities have not yet been confirmed.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft had been travelling to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.

“The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates. This information is preliminary and subject to change,” a spokesperson announced.

An SDF spokesperson confirmed the airfield has been closed an advised any passengers to check their journeys before travelling.

This was also echoed by the airport at 6.30pm when it announced TSA security points were shut down.

A shelter in place alert was issued for a five-mile radius just after 5:30pm local time, due to the volume of smoke around.

A MetroSafe supervisor said emergency crews responded to a “reported explosion”.

Louisville Metro Police said there’s an active scene with “fire and debris.”

Spokesperson Matt Sanders that injuries have been reported, but there is no update on the condition of any victims.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said: “Kentucky, we are aware of a reported plane crash near Louisville International Airport.

“First responders are onsite, and we will share more information as available.

“Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected. We will share more soon.”

It’s not yet clear what caused the plane to fail so soon into its journey.

UPS said: “At approximately 5:20 PM ET tonight, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, KY, to Honolulu, an MD-11 with three crewmembers onboard, was involved in an accident in Louisville.

“At this time, we have not confirmed any injuries/casualties.

“UPS will release more facts as they become available, but the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation.”