MARTIN COUNTY, Ky. — Officials have announced the second worker that was trapped after an 11-story coal preparation plant collapsed in eastern Kentucky has died.
According to his social media, Gov. Andy Beshear shared the information Friday afternoon.
Dozens of firefighters led the rescue efforts at the Martin Mine Prep Plant, located near Middlefork Wolfe Creek Road in Martin County, Kentucky. That's near the West Virginia state line.
The building collapsed around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to officials.
The two workers were identified as Billy Daniels and Alvin Douglas Nees late Thursday.
Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said first responders were able to find and make contact with Daniels, however he died shortly after crews made contact with him.
Kirk said the workers were on the bottom floor of the building when it collapsed.
Several rescuers were inside the rubble as part of the ongoing rescue efforts, according to The Associated Press.
Anchorage Middletown Fire and Louisville Fire and EMS were among the departments called to send specially trained crews to the collapsed plant around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Twenty-four highly skilled first responders from both departments are currently on the scene in eastern Kentucky.
Louisville Fire Capitan Donovan Sims said the search and rescue experts are trained in road techs, confined spaces, trench and rescue -- all trained for an event like this, which requires practice and precision.
"Structural collapse is very slow, meticulous movements. It's not the same as fighting a fire where we go in real quick and put it out," he said.
Early Wednesday morning, Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order declaring a State of Emergency due to the building collapse and the people trapped inside.
The coal preparation site was in the processed of being demolished near an abandoned mine site.
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