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An Amazon cargo plane barrelled off a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, striking multiple vehicles and bursting into flames in a crash that sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky and forced the closure of all runways at one of the busiest airports in the U.S.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the crash, arriving to find the aircraft on fire as crews worked to extinguish the flames and assess patients. Officials had not yet released information on injuries or deaths.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the aircraft overran the runway at about 2 p.m. local time after heading into Florida from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the plane struck multiple vehicles after leaving the runway.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA was sending investigators and issued a full ground stop at Miami International as emergency crews responded.
The Prime Air plane came to rest beside a roadway with two semi-trucks parked nearby, according to images on social media. Images showed the plane on its belly and largely intact despite the fire.
All runways and taxiways were closed, an airport spokesperson said. The FAA warned that delays were likely to persist even after the airport reopened, with arrivals and departures expected to resume at a reduced rate.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was “gathering information” about the crash.
Amazon said in an email to CBC News that it was also gathering details.
“We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened,” a spokesperson wrote.
“Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We’re doing everything we can to support those affected.”
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