LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More than two months after the deadly crash of UPS Flight 2976, the wreckage area along Grade Lane reflects both lingering devastation and extensive recovery efforts.
What You Need To Know
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UPS Flight 2976 crashed shortly after takeoff on Nov. 4 from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing 15 people
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Louisville Metro Sewer District (MSD) has collected nearly 4 million gallons of oily liquid and 200,000 gallons of pure oil
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Cleanup efforts have focused heavily on the Melco Basin, which helps prevent flooding and environmental contamination
One view of the site still shows clear signs of destruction more than 70 days later. Another highlights the progress first responders and cleanup crews have made in restoring a sense of normalcy.
“I have never seen groups come together and work together as well as this has,” said Jeff Carlson, deputy fire chief with the Okolona Fire Protection District. “There’s been no egos. From the beginning, everyone has worked together.”
City leaders said there have been no long-term environmental impacts. MSD officials confirmed millions of gallons of contaminated liquid and oil have been removed as part of ongoing cleanup operations.
A major focus has been the Melco Basin, which prevents oil from spreading downstream. Officials said much of the fuel and debris initially flowed through roadside drainage ditches along Grade Lane before reaching the basin.
“When the event occurred, a lot of the oil and material flowed down Grade Lane through the drainage system,” said Brian Bingham, MSD chief operations officer. “Some of it came back through the system into this basin. We shut down the pumps early the next morning to keep everything contained on-site.”
Damage from the crash and resulting fire remains visible along Melton Avenue, where charred debris is still present. Markings on the ground indicate areas that were searched during recovery efforts.
Cleanup crews continue separating oily water from soil, vacuuming the liquid into 21,000-gallon tanks for off-site processing. The wreckage area remains under heavy police supervision.
Officials added that cooperative weather conditions have aided cleanup, helping prevent harmful smoke or contamination from spreading into surrounding neighborhoods.
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