2 dead after 11-story Kentucky coal plant building collapsed on workers

A second man has died days after a shuttered Kentucky coal plant building collapsed, trapping the two workers.

The abandoned building in rural Martin County, Kentucky, was being prepared for demolition by two workers when it came down on top of them, trapping both on the bottom floor. One of the workers died earlier this week, Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday.

On Friday afternoon, Beshear said the second worker had also died.

"This is a heartbreaking situation," said Beshear on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Rescue efforts began Tuesday night to try to save the men who became trapped earlier that day in the destroyed 11-story building, under concrete and steel beams.

Why were workers inside Kentucky coal plant?

Martin County Sheriff John Kirk told local outlet WYMT news that the plant had been out of commission for years and the coal company recently sold it for scrap and demolition. The workers inside had been trying to salvage materials as part of an eight-month endeavor when the sudden destruction occurred.

Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said that first responders were able to make initial contact with one man inside Tuesday night, reported the Associated Press, but teams were unaware of the extent of the men's injuries.

Kirk also said it could take several rescue teams days to reach the trapped workers, saying, "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 his life in danger.”

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY