Both workers missing in Kentucky coal plant collapse declared dead

Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A second worker has been confirmed dead after a building collapsed this week at a coal preparation plant in Kentucky's Martin County.

Two workers, identified as Billy Ray Daniels and Alvin Nees, were declared missing after Tuesday's accident. Daniels was confirmed killed earlier, while state officials on Friday said Nees had also died.

"I am sad to report that the second worker trapped inside the collapsed coal preparation plant in Martin County has died," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear posted on X Friday. "This is a heartbreaking situation and I hope everyone will join Britany and me in praying for the families of those two workers and this entire community."

Beshear declared a state of emergency Wednesday to mobilize "the state resources of Kentucky."

County Judge Executive Lon Lafferty told reporters on Friday that both men's remains had been found but that Nees' body was yet to be removed from the scene.

"We knew going in that this was a very and very difficult situation," Lafferty said.

Martin County Sheriff John Kirk told WYMT-TV that he believed a piece of the structure that was being removed fell improperly and trapped the workers.

"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.