The UPS aircraft burst into flames after veering off the runway and colliding with nearby business premises, sparking a massive fire that destroyed several buildings and forced the closure of Louisville International Airport.

UPS said the decision to ground its MD-11 models followed instructions from manufacturer Boeing, while rival delivery giant FedEx confirmed it would take similar action. Officials have yet to determine the cause of the deadly crash.

Hours before the grounding was announced, officials confirmed the death toll had risen to 14 after another body was recovered, with emergency crews continuing to search fire-damaged buildings for more victims. “We pray for each of the victims’ families and hope that no additional lives are lost,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

In a statement, UPS said grounding around 9 percent of its fleet was done out of “an abundance of caution.” It remains unclear how significantly the moves by UPS and FedEx will affect delivery services. UPS added that contingency plans were in place to maintain operations. The statement continued: “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.” The aircraft involved in the crash was an MD-11F triple-engine plane, which first entered service 34 years ago with Thai Airways as a passenger jet, before being transferred to UPS in 2006. (BBC)