(NewsReady.com) – On Wednesday, November 1, the Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) agency issued a press release detailing the collapse of an 11-story sorting structure at a coal mine preparation plant in Marin County. The statement explained that rescue teams were working to free two workers trapped beneath “multiple floors” of steel and concrete. Governor Andy Beshear (D) officially declared a state of emergency earlier that day to help facilitate rescue efforts.
Beshear posted a brief statement on his X/Twitter account announcing his decision to sign an executive order declaring an emergency state at the coal plant. He explained that the order helped mobilize state resources to aid rescue teams’ efforts to free the trapped workers.
Beshear also asked fellow Kentuckians to join him and his wife, Britainy, in praying for the safety of “brave teams” struggling to rescue the workers. He concluded his remarks by promising to share additional information on the status of rescuers’ efforts once it became available.
Kentucky, keep praying — but the scene is bad and we should be prepared for tough news out of Martin County. ^AB https://t.co/XHUeJWsu7R
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 1, 2023
Sadly, a couple of hours later, he posted an update advising that “the scene is bad” and advising everyone to “prepare for tough news [from] Martin County.”
True to his word, Beshear posted a statement from KYEM explaining the situation at the collapsed sorting structure. The notice detailed the expansive effort to rescue the trapped workers, thanks to the governor’s emergency declaration.
For more information on the collapsed coal preparation plant in Martin County, read the @KentuckyEM release from earlier this morning: https://t.co/W9iVB5TAi2 pic.twitter.com/xy8xCO9ekA
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 1, 2023
As of November 1, KYEM area managers from regions five, seven, and eight were at the accident site coordinating search and rescue efforts led by multiple local and state agencies, including:
- The Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue Team,
- The Special Tactics Squadron K9 search dog from the Kentucky National Guard,
- A Special Operations Unit from the Lexington Fire Department,
- The Jefferson County Urban Search and Rescue Team
Additionally, several high-ranking KYEM officials were at the site, including Col. Jeremy Slinker, the agency’s director, and Assistant Director of Operations Dustin Heiser.
Sadly, media outlets later reported that one of the workers had died. The other remains trapped beneath the rubble.
Copyright 2023, NewsReady.com
