At least one dead as coal plant being demolished collapses and traps workers
At least one person has died after a coal plant slated for demolition collapsed on Tuesday night.
A building at the Martin Mine Prep Plant, an 11-story coal sorting structure in rural Martin County, Kentucky, collapsed and trapped multiple workers beneath multiple floors of concrete and steel.
Rescue workers are desperately searching for a second person they believe is trapped in the rubble.
The collapse happened around 6.30pm on Tuesday night, as two workers were preparing the defunct structure for demolition.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in Martin County, mobilizing state rescue teams to assist in recovery efforts.
‘Kentucky, keep praying — but the scene is bad and we should be prepared for tough news out of Martin County,’ Beshear said.
Martin County Sheriff John Kirk called the scene of the collapse a ‘horrific sight.’
On Wednesday morning, the sheriff confirmed that the one worker they were able to locate has since died.
‘We located one, he was able to talk to us as soon as we got there,’ Kirk told reporters. ‘Unfortunately, the gentleman that was talking with us, he passed away just a little bit ago.’
Rescuers managed to render first aid, supply oxygen, and hook him up to an IV drip while still trapped beneath the structure, Martin County local paper The Mountain Citizen reported.
Rescuers have so far been unable to locate the second trapped worker, but are still treating the scene as a search and rescue operation.
Multiple fire departments, rescue teams, and the National Guard’s K9 search team have since been deployed to the site of the collapse to assist with the efforts. Officials said the rescue could take days due to the nature of the disaster.
‘This is a lot of weight,’ Sheriff Kirk said. ‘A lot of large metal structures, a lot of concrete, and very confined space last. Very tight spaces.’
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