Beshear said he has declared a state of emergency to “move resources more quickly through emergency management and the Kentucky National Guard.”
Sean Garber, who owns one of the businesses struck by the explosion, Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling, said four of his company’s 18 buildings were destroyed by the blast. The crash also affected Petroleum Recycling.
“There was a huge ball of fire and massive multiple explosions occurring all around and obviously people running and screaming,” Garber told NBC News.
He estimated that at least 20 people were in the buildings at the time of the explosion.
“People had to jump out windows of some of the offices because the heat had melted and blocked the doors,” Garber added.
Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, a second company whose properties were damaged in the explosion, declined to comment.
Officials issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area, reduced to a quarter-mile radius around the crash site, Greenberg said Wednesday morning. The mayor told reporters on Wednesday that about 135 customers remained without power.
Beshear said Wednesday that a nearby restaurant, Stooges Bar and Grill, was narrowly spared in the crash and is now assisting with search-and-recovery efforts.
“We’re grateful for them,” Beshear added. “Another blessing is that this plane could have potentially hit the major Ford factory or the convention center.”
The crash happened on the airport’s West Runway, the airport said Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning, the airport said it was open and “available for aircraft operations,” but encouraged travelers to check their flight status and watch for delays.
Dan Mann, the chief executive of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, said Wednesday at the news conference that 12% of flights at the airport were canceled and that delays were expected.
UPS said in a statement Tuesday that it was “terribly saddened” by the crash.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved,” the company said. “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.”
The company has a large footprint in Louisville, with roughly 25,000 of its employees based in the city, according to the company’s website.
UPS called the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport “the centerpiece of the company’s global air network,” with roughly 400 of its flights arriving and departing each day.
UPS said Wednesday that some of its employees should not report to work that day and urged family members seeking information to call 800-631-0604.
A UPS spokesperson directed NBC News to the company’s media page for updates when asked a series of questions.
The last crash involving UPS occurred in 2013 when a cargo plane crashed near Birmingham, Alabama, killing two pilots.
The plane on Tuesday narrowly missed Stooges Bar & Grill, where at least six employees and nearly two dozen customers were gathered when the tragedy unfolded about 100 yards away, witnesses said.
A regular customer had just barked at bartender Kyla Kenady, 29, to bring him a beer outside. She had poured the drink and was stepping outside to playfully yell at that patron when Stooges suddenly went dark.
“The power went out so I looked back into the bar. Then as I turned around again to go outside, I saw the plane go down in flames,” Kenady told NBC News.
“It was the perfect view, the most terrifying view, she said. “I panicked and started screaming to everybody inside, the plane was crashing and everyone ran outside. It was like a movie. It wasn’t real.”
Beshear thanked the restaurant for opening its doors to first responders for the recovery effort on Wednesday.
Stooges owner Debbie Self, 76, first opened the restaurant in 1983 and cited divine intervention for keeping her place and customers safe.
“God wrapped his arms around my building,” Self said. “A 100 yards and the whole building would have been gone and everybody in it.”
Adrienne Broaddus, Ava Kelley, Colin Sheeley, Tavleen Tarrant, Jean Lee and Marin Scott contributed.
