black gold
2023-11-05 05:15:02 UTC
MARTIN COUNTY, KY (WOWK) Billy Ray Daniels and Alvin Nees, the two
workers in the Kentucky coal preparation collapse, have been located and
were found dead, according to Martin County Judge Executive Dr. Lon
Lafferty.
Dr. Lafferty on Thursday identified the two men as Billy Ray Daniels, who
was the first to be reported as deceased, and Alvin Nees, whom they had
been looking for for almost three days.
The search for Nees, who is believed to be trapped under layers of rubble,
is still a rescue operation and they are entering a new phase, Lafferty
said during a press conference Thursday morning.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Lafferty said the call first came
in around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and crews from Martin, Pike and Floyd
counties responded.
The two men, both from Pike County and believed to be working for Skeens
Contracting from Pikeville, were trapped under tons of concrete and steel
in the building, a former coal preparation plant, at Martin Mine Prep
Plant near Middlefork Wolfe Creek Road, according to Judge Executive
Lafferty. Gov. Andy Beshear declared a State of Emergency following the
collapse.
Gov. Beshear confirmed the death of one earlier on Wednesday, and Lafferty
said the other worker is still trapped. There were more than two workers
in the building when it collapsed, Lafferty said at the press conference
on Wednesday.
Lafferty on Thursday said they still have not been able to find the
missing worker and they are going into a new phase where they begin to
remove rubble to help find that worker.
Lafferty described the scene as horrific and compared it to the 9/11
terrorist attacks, and Jeremy Slinker, Director of Kentucky Emergency
Management, compared it to a candle factory disaster where a number of
workers died when a tornado leveled the building.
Slinker said KEM will continue to give first responders and authorities in
Martin County whatever they need during the rescue efforts and might have
to reach out to other states if the rescue effort goes beyond what they
can handle. He also said communication is one of the biggest challenges
because some of the areas have no cell or internet service.
To help with search efforts, the Associated Press reported that Special
Operations Battalion Chief Chris Ward of the Lexington Fire Department
said rescue crews are using search and cadaver dogs to look through the
rubble.
Gov. Beshear (D) asked Kentuckians to join him and his wife, Britainy, in
praying for [the workers] safety and for the brave teams working to
rescue them.
https://www.wowktv.com/news/kentucky/martin-county-ky/officials-to-give-
update-on-fatal-kentucky-coal-preparation-plant-collapse/
workers in the Kentucky coal preparation collapse, have been located and
were found dead, according to Martin County Judge Executive Dr. Lon
Lafferty.
Dr. Lafferty on Thursday identified the two men as Billy Ray Daniels, who
was the first to be reported as deceased, and Alvin Nees, whom they had
been looking for for almost three days.
The search for Nees, who is believed to be trapped under layers of rubble,
is still a rescue operation and they are entering a new phase, Lafferty
said during a press conference Thursday morning.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Lafferty said the call first came
in around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and crews from Martin, Pike and Floyd
counties responded.
The two men, both from Pike County and believed to be working for Skeens
Contracting from Pikeville, were trapped under tons of concrete and steel
in the building, a former coal preparation plant, at Martin Mine Prep
Plant near Middlefork Wolfe Creek Road, according to Judge Executive
Lafferty. Gov. Andy Beshear declared a State of Emergency following the
collapse.
Gov. Beshear confirmed the death of one earlier on Wednesday, and Lafferty
said the other worker is still trapped. There were more than two workers
in the building when it collapsed, Lafferty said at the press conference
on Wednesday.
Lafferty on Thursday said they still have not been able to find the
missing worker and they are going into a new phase where they begin to
remove rubble to help find that worker.
Lafferty described the scene as horrific and compared it to the 9/11
terrorist attacks, and Jeremy Slinker, Director of Kentucky Emergency
Management, compared it to a candle factory disaster where a number of
workers died when a tornado leveled the building.
Slinker said KEM will continue to give first responders and authorities in
Martin County whatever they need during the rescue efforts and might have
to reach out to other states if the rescue effort goes beyond what they
can handle. He also said communication is one of the biggest challenges
because some of the areas have no cell or internet service.
To help with search efforts, the Associated Press reported that Special
Operations Battalion Chief Chris Ward of the Lexington Fire Department
said rescue crews are using search and cadaver dogs to look through the
rubble.
Gov. Beshear (D) asked Kentuckians to join him and his wife, Britainy, in
praying for [the workers] safety and for the brave teams working to
rescue them.
https://www.wowktv.com/news/kentucky/martin-county-ky/officials-to-give-
update-on-fatal-kentucky-coal-preparation-plant-collapse/