A UPS wide-body cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people and injuring several others. All three who died were members of the flight crew, according to UPS and federal officials quoted by Reuters.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the situation is still developing. "We've got some initial numbers, but let me tell you I expect them to grow," the governor said.

"Right now, we believe we have at least three fatalities. I believe that number is going to get larger. We have at least 11 injuries, some of them very significant, that are being treated by local hospitals," he added.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that UPS Flight 2976 crashed at around 5:15 p.m. (local time) soon after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The aircraft was on its way to Honolulu when it went down.

Some eyewitness videos on social media showed the plane burning in the sky, while another clip captured a long trail of flames on the ground that damaged nearby buildings.

Louisville Metro Emergency Services asked people to stay away from the area as the fire at the crash site was still active. A shelter-in-place order was issued for everyone within a five-mile (8 km) radius of the airport for safety.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. Early reports suggest the plane might have taken off with fire seen on one wing, but officials have not yet confirmed what led to the accident.

Further updates are expected as emergency teams continue rescue and recovery operations.