LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- People who live near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport said they're noticing black sludge and an oily film in neighborhood waterways days after the UPS cargo plane crash that killed 13 people and damaged nearby buildings.

And Friday, the Metropolitan Sewer District issued a warning to the community to avoid contact with waterways in the southern part of Jefferson County "due to potentially contaminated runoff from UPS plane crash." 

The warning came as crews continue working to remove contaminants near National Turnpike, where they've been seen scooping thick, black material and oil from a drainage ditch known as Northern Ditch. Residents said they're worried about what the runoff could mean for their water and health in the weeks ahead.

"We need some leadership to take over and stop this from getting into our neighborhoods," said Doug Black, who lives nearby. 

Black said he first noticed a strong smell of gas fumes Wednesday morning after the crash. When he stopped to speak with workers near the ditch, he said they told him they were pumping jet fuel runoff from the crash site.

"The ditch is right on the other side of those trees," Black said, pointing toward a nearby lake that connects to his neighborhood.

Photos and video from the scene show crews using pumps and absorbent pads to collect the black residue and floating oil sheen from the water’s surface.

Black said he's contacted several agencies — including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and MSD — to make sure the contamination is being properly addressed.

City officials haven't confirmed whether the sludge and oil are directly linked to the plane crash, but cleanup efforts continue as part of the wider recovery operation near the airport.

The UPS Flight 2976 crash Tuesday sparked a massive fire after the left wing caught fire during takeoff from UPS Worldport. Federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are still working to determine what caused the plane to go down.

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