Live updates: 1 worker confirmed dead after a coal plant collapses in Eastern Kentucky

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Two workers were trapped inside a collapsed coal preparation plant in Eastern Kentucky Wednesday morning and one of them was confirmed dead, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.

The collapse happened around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Martin Mine Prep Plant in Martin County, according to Kentucky Emergency Management. An 11-story coal sorting structure, located in a sparsely populated area of steep hills near Middlefork Wolfe Creek Road, collapsed, leaving two workers trapped underneath multiple floors of concrete and steel.

The workers were preparing the structure for demolition when it collapsed.

The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet said the facility had been closed for years prior to Tuesday’s incident.

Hope remains

4 p.m. — Rescue efforts will continue through Wednesday afternoon and evening, director of Kentucky Emergency Management Jeremy Slinker said.

The crews on scene include people with training in urban search and rescue and confined space searches. They are planning how to proceed and the next phase could include using heavy equipment to move debris, Slinker said.

Martin County Judge-Executive Lon Lafferty reiterated statements from earlier in the day about the bravery of the people trying to get to the workers.

“The most incredible bravery I’ve ever seen,” he said in the 4 p.m. news conference.

Lafferty said rescuers have not recovered the body of the one worker or had any contact with the second missing worker.

“Hope remains at this moment,” he said.

In an interview Wednesday afternoon with the Mountain Citizen newspaper, Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said teams were still “in rescue mode.” The second trapped worker still hadn’t been located. Kirk said the state was working to bring in cranes and torches to take the plant apart “piece by piece.”

“We’ve had no contact with him since we arrived here last night but we still have hopes that he has survived so we’re still trying to locate him,” Kirk told the outlet.

The worker who died earlier in the day was trapped under a metal beam and died as first responders were attempting to extricate him. Rescuers attempted to let the man speak to his wife over the phone but a lack of cell service — an issue further compounding rescue efforts, Kirk said — prevented the effort. But the worker and his wife were able to share messages with one another before he passed, Kirk said.

Both of the workers were from Pike County. Kirk asked for prayers as the search continued.

“It is a very dangerous situation. These men and women have gone above and beyond, they’ve crawled beneath tons and tons of steel and concrete over top of their heads and it snapping and popping. They have the courage to go try to rescue their fellow man,” Kirk said.

‘Situation doesn’t look good.’

2:30 p.m. — Rescue operations are still ongoing for the second worker who was trapped inside a collapsed coal sorting structure in Martin County Tuesday evening.

Lafferty held a press conference Wednesday afternoon updating media on the status of the operation. He said, “the situation doesn’t look good” but officials are still searching for the second worker in hopes of finding them alive.

“This remains as of this hour a rescue operation,” Lafferty said. “We haven’t given up hope on the second worker.”

Next of kin for the workers have been on scene and notified of the updates, according to Lafferty. The workers are believed to be from Pike County.

Lafferty has seen the collapsed building, and described it as a “tremendous pile of rubble.”

“It’s horrific,” Lafferty said. “I remember being in New York after 9/11 and those images that you see there, it’s kind of what you see here.”

Slinker, the state director of Kentucky Emergency Management, said rescue operations were hazardous.

“The rescue attempts that are going on and went on last night, those rescuers lives are in danger as we speak, they’re going into a very unstable structure in efforts to save lives,” said Slinker.

Lexington firefighter details rescue operations

2:30 p.m. — The Lexington Fire Department arrived on scene around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday and picked up where Martin County officials left off, according to battalion chief Chris Ward. A search dog was deployed into the scene and alerted officials of an area where an eyewitness last saw the unaccounted-for worker.

Ward said they’ve been searching that area all day Wednesday.

“We’re in under that structure and we’re just trying to search all the voids with cameras, listening devices, just trying to see if we can get any idea of where that individual might be,” Ward said. “At this time we have not located anything.”

More dogs, including a cadaver dog, have run through the structure in search of the missing worker, according to Ward. Ward didn’t know the results of those dog searches during the Wednesday afternoon press conference.

Church serves as hub for community support

2:15 p.m. — The Buck Branch United Baptist Church, in the Wolf Creek community about 2 miles from the scene, has served as a hub for people to bring food and other items for first responders and community members.

Lloyd Parsley, assistant pastor at the church, said nearly everyone in the community has been a coal miner or is close with one. They try to do everything they can to support each other in moments like Wednesday’s tragedy.

Parsley said it was upsettingthe plant workers showed up Tuesday thinking they’d work a normal shift and go home.

“That’s how fast you can leave this old world,” he said.

Jenee Presley, who had food sent to the church and manages a nearby store called Miner’s Mart, said she was “devastated” by the incident. She said everyone in the community knows one another, and that makes the impact of such an event more devastating.

“Everybody comes together” in a situation like this, she said.

Plant was being reclaimed when collapse happened

1:13 p.m. —The land where the incident happened was undergoing reclamation work, according to public records. Lexington Coal Company, LLC, had been given a permit for the reclamation work.

Site of fatal Eastern Kentucky coal tipple collapse was in the process of being reclaimed

Officials were blocking the scene off Wednesday, but more information was expected to be made available that afternoon.

State will check for environment issues after collapse

11:40 a.m. — The Kentucky Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement has jurisdiction over mine reclamation activities and the agency sent inspectors to the scene of the collapse Tuesday, according to the state Energy and Environment Cabinet.

The inspectors will examine the area to see if there was any environmental damage caused by the collapse. They didn’t have further information to provide Wednesday morning.

How to help first responders

11 a.m. — People wanting to provide supplies for the first responders assisting with the rescue mission at the building collapse in Martin County can drop off items at Buck Branch United Baptist Church, according to the Martin County Fiscal Court. The church is located in Pilgrim at 3829 S. Wolf Creek.

Martin County Fiscal Court said first responder teams from across the region are assisting with rescue efforts. The court described the incident as a tough day for the community and asked for continued support.

“This is going to be a process and we want everyone to know everything that can be done is being done to try and help,” the court said in a Facebook post.

1 victim confirmed dead

10:20 a.m. — One of the two trapped workers is confirmed dead, Beshear confirmed. Information on their identity was unavailable Wednesday morning.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office declined to provide further information when contacted by the Herald-Leader Wednesday.

Agencies from across the state are helping

9:55 a.m. — Kentucky Emergency Management announced Wednesday morning it has officials at the scene to help with efforts.

KYEM also said Jefferson County Urban Search and Rescue, the Lexington Fire Department Special Operations Unit, The National Guard’s Special Tactics Squadron K9 search dog, and The Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue Team.

OSHA is investigating, KSP says

9:30 a.m. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is going to investigate the plant collapse, Kentucky State Police say.

State Trooper Michael Coleman told the Herald-Leader that KSP responded to the scene to help, but OSHA has since taken over the case.

Governor: prepare for ‘tough news’

8 a.m. — Beshear released a new statement on social media Wednesday morning telling the public the scene of the collapse was “bad.”

“Kentucky, keep praying — but the scene is bad and we should be prepared for tough news out of Martin County,” Beshear said.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who’s also the Republican challenger for the governor’s race this year, said he was monitoring the news and praying for those involved.

Beshear declares state of emergency

6:30 a.m. — Beshear has declared a state of emergency to assist with rescue operations, and he said “a number of teams” were working to rescue people.

Martin County Sheriff John Kirk told WYMT the two workers were on the bottom floor when the collapse happened, trapping them underneath tons of concrete and steel. The rescue could be a multiple day operation and many other fire departments and agencies are assisting at the scene.

Lafferty said additional resources are needed for the operation.

“Kentucky, please join Britainy (Beshear) and me in praying for their safety and for the brave teams working to rescue them,” Beshear said in his statement. “We will share more information as available.”

Kentucky State Police and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office weren’t immediately available for comment Wednesday morning.

This is a developing story and will be updated.