LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Supervisor Adam Bowman was loading metal onto a truck at a scrapyard just south of the Louisville, Kentucky, airport when he heard what he first thought was a transformer explosion and quickly realized was more horrific.

“I turned around and I see over the fence just a huge cloud of black smoke and just a fireball that was indescribable,” Bowman said. “I’m thinking this is a plane coming down.”

And it was: A UPS cargo plane had crashed as it tried to take off, sparking a devastating ripple effect that hit Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling and caused blasts at nearby Kentucky Petroleum Recycling.

Bowman said he initially didn’t know whether to run or take cover but chose the latter, diving between giant aluminum bales and curling up as tight as he could as explosion

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