The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
‘Through fire’: Grade A Auto Parts survivors recount escape, loss after UPS plane crash
Three employees describe the seconds they had to escape the Nov. 4, 2025, crash, and the grief they continue to carry.
Three Grade A Auto Parts employees recount surviving a UPS plane crash that occurred near their workplace on November 4, 2025. The trio describe the moment the building shook and a wall of fire appeared, with one worker saying a door opened to reveal the fire heading their direction.
The escape process involved each employee moving through the chaos in their respective buildings. One worker described being knocked down and trapped beneath a bookcase before being freed, while another climbed to safety through a window after a coworker pushed her toward it.
As they fled, the group aided one another through the smoke and flames. They reported hearing a familiar voice urging them to run, and they later learned from others that a 3-year-old child and her grandfather did not survive the crash.
In the aftermath, the survivors grapple with loss and grief for coworkers who remained inside. They describe ongoing emotional and psychological impacts, including memories triggered by sounds and smells from the crash.
News coverage and anniversary programming are planned by WLKY, with a one-hour special to mark the crash anniversary available on WLKY's platforms.