UPS cargo plane crashes at Muhammad Ali Airport in Louisville, Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Authorities say at least seven people are dead and 11 are injured after a plane crashed and exploded at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.

United Parcel Service confirms it is their plane that crashed after taking off from the airport in Louisville, Kentucky, sending thick black smoke into the air and sparking an explosion and large fire on the ground.

UPS also confirmed there were three people on the plane -- all members of the crew. According to WAVE, the NBC affiliate in Louisville, the first calls came in around 5:14 p.m. ET.

The plane was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11. It was headed for Honolulu. According to WLKY-TV in Louisville, because that’s a long flight, the plane was topped off; fully fueled.

Video showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball. Video also revealed portions of a building’s shredded roof next to the end of the runway, according to the Associated Press.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said of the 11 injured, some had “very significant” injuries.

“Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” he said.

UPS, in a press release, also said the FAA and NTSB will investigate.

Louisville is home to UPS’s Worldport global hub, and handles about 2 million packages a day, according to NBC’s Tom Costello.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.