1 man dead in Kentucky building collapse that trapped 2, governor says

One of the two men who were trapped after a coal preparation plant in Kentucky collapsed on them is dead, the governor of the state said on social media. 

Gov. Andy Beshear, who declared a state of emergency around the collapse earlier in the day, confirmed the death on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

"Kentucky, we have some tough news out of Martin County to share. At least one of the workers trapped inside the collapsed coal preparation plant has died. Please pray for the family and loved ones of this individual," Beshear wrote. 

Kentucky, we have some tough news out of Martin County to share. At least one of the workers trapped inside the collapsed coal preparation plant has died. Please pray for the family and loved ones of this individual. ^AB

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 1, 2023

Earlier in the day, Beshear said that he and his wife were "praying" for the safety of the trapped men and rescue workers on the scene, but described the collapse as "bad" and warned residents that they should "be prepared for tough news." 

The men have been trapped in a collapsed coal preparation plant in Kentucky's Martin County since Tuesday evening. The county first declared a local emergency, according to CBS News affiliate WYMT. According to a news release shared by Kentucky Emergency Management, the preparation plant was 11 stories tall and the men inside were preparing it for demolition. The men were "trapped underneath multiple floors of concrete and steel," the department said. 

"This coal preparation plant has been out of commission for a while - for several years," Martin County Sheriff John Kirk told WYMT. "It's my understanding that the coal company sold it for basically scrap. And they were salvaging what they could out of it. ...  They typically take these down in sections. They fall them - you know, cut torch and fall them in section. We believe that's what happened. That it just didn't fall the way they had projected it to fall and it actually closed around them." 

Kirk said that he believed the men were on the bottom floor of the building when it collapsed. Kirk said that rescuers have located one of the men and have spoken with him. 

It's not clear if this is the man who died, or if rescuers have located a second person. 

Area fire departments and emergency response agencies have been responding to the scene, according to WYMT. Kirk told the publication that the scale of the collapse made the scene dangerous for rescuers. 

"This is a lot of weight. A lot of large metal structures, a lot of concrete, and very confined space last. Very tight spaces. Any time you put a rescuer in that situation, you're putting in putting his life in danger," said Kirk. "You kind of feel helpless that you can't do more, that you can't for it faster. But this is not a fast process. It's a very slow process in order to try to keep everybody safe." 

WYMT reported that county officials will provide updates in a news conference on Wednesday. 

In:
• Building Collapse
• State of Emergency
• Andy Beshear
• Rescue
• Kentucky

Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.