State of Emergency Declared in Martin Co. Mine Collapse
By Lilly Adkins
BSN Associate Editor
WOLF CREEK —Two families are mourning after the 11 story Pontiki Coal Mine Preparation Plant in Martin County, collapsed on, and killed two men who were there to inspect prior to the planned demolition of the plant.
Within hours of the collapse rescuers were able to locate Billy Joe “Bo” Daniels, 57, and he was pinned under concrete and metal beams. Two trauma surgeons from Pikeville Medical Center were called to the scene and they did everything they could to save him, but he didn’t make it.
Alvin Nees, 57, was located on Friday, and he didn’t make it either.
Martin County Sheriff John Kirk confirmed that both men were from Pikeville.
Martin County Judge Executive Lon Lafferty made the announcement on Friday, and said Nees body was recovered and that he was being taken to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Frankfort. Lafferty also said they expected to recover Daniels body by 8 p.m. and that he too would be transported to Frankfort.
“This is not the outcome that we had hoped for, that we prayed for,” Lafferty said. “But we knew going in that this was a very grim, very difficult situation.”
Preliminary autopsy results show that Daniels suffered from a Pelvic fracture, post partial right lower extremity above the knee amputation, cutaneous contusions, abrasions and lacerations. The decedent was responsive and talking to rescue crews who attempted to amputate his right lower extremity and during the procedure, he became unresponsive.
Preliminary autopsy results for Nees show blunt force injuries sustained in a building collapse, closed head injury, bilateral rib fractures, Transverse fracture of T11 vertebra with transection of spinal cord, cutaneous contusions, abrasions and lacerations.
Nees, is survived by his mother, Linda Helvey Hatfield, of McAndrews; his wife, Dawnita Ann Nees of Belfry; his daughter, Markie Nees of Belfry; a sister, Rhonda Lovern Robinette of McAndrews and a granddaughter, Haven May of Belfrey. Memorial services will be announced later. R.E. Rogers Funeral Home of Belfry, is serving the Nees family.
Obituary information for Daniels was not available at press time.
At the onset, Kirk said that he had been in contact with both men’s spouses and their families and that he was trying to keep them updated on what was going on, but cell service was spotty, so they were having to leave for a few minutes to make calls.
Kirk said they had made contact with one of the men, who later died, but that they had been unable to locate the second man. Kirk also said that they had been able to pass messages from Daniels to his wife and from his wife back to him.
Throughout the rescue operation, officials held out hope that they would be able to bring the workers out, and after searching all the voids, places of interest, using dogs, cameras and people without success they began bringing in more heavy equipment so they could move the structure in sections.
Prior to locating Nees, Kentucky Emergency Management Director, Jeremy Slinker said they were moving to a new phase.
“We are continuing to search, we are going to a new phase, where we try to move sections,” Slinker said. “We’ve worked all through the night and we have more experts coming to in to help us with that. We are rotating shifts.”
Mining Operation’s Chief Jody Mieman said they began ordering heavy equipment on Nov. 1 for the second phase.
“It’s a very methodical process,” Mieman said. “It’s a very slow process and if we should run into more voids as we move debris, we will stop, check it out and still use cameras.”
Emergency Response, Frank Scott said he was there to help with the process.
Martin County Emergency Management Director, Kayla May said during the press conference that she wanted to thank everyone from across the state and the community for all they have done to help.