JCPS cancels classes Wednesday after fatal plane crash in Louisville
Jefferson County Public Schools canceled classes for Wednesday after a fatal plane crash on Tuesday evening.
Nine people were killed in the crash, which involved a UPS cargo plane that was departing for Honolulu, Hawaii, from Muhammad Ali International Airport.
“Due to the necessary shelter-in-place order issued by the city following this evening’s tragic plane crash, all JCPS schools and buildings will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 5,” the school district said in a social media post Tuesday night. “This will operate like a snow day with no online instruction. All extracurricular activities and athletics are also canceled.”
The plane was carrying over 220,000 pounds of jet fuel, or 38,000 gallons of fuel, resulting in a fire and large amounts of smoke in the area, Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill said.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for all areas of Louisville north of the Muhammad Ali International Airport. That was later reduced to a one-mile radius around the airport.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 9:11 PM.