LEXINGTON, Ky. — Amid the ongoing investigation and search for the second man trapped inside the collapsed building at a Martin County coal plant, families and local organizations are banding together to help.
Leslie Speer is from the area and her son, Zachary, works for the Martin County rescue squad that is stationed at the site of Tuesday’s structure collapse.
“He said it was horrible. He pulled up on the scene and he said the first thing he said was, ‘Oh my god,’ and he had to sit and talk to one of the guys and he’s had a real bad time.” Speer said.
Her son was the third person to make it to the site of the collapse that trapped two individuals working on the plant’s demolition. One of the men has died.
Emergency responders have been at the Pontiki Plant since Tuesday, along with search and rescue teams from Lexington, Louisville and Pike County.
At Buck Branch Church, a few miles from the plant site, close to a dozen churches and members of faith centers are serving warm food and providing resources to the EMS crew responding to the tragedy.
Pastor Buddy Stacy says that Martin County unites during serious situations.
“It’s up to all the churches in the county here that come together in the county and they have donated and brought volunteers bringing food just trying to try to help the family of the first responders there,” Stacy said. “That’s one thing about martin county that you will find out if you spend any time here that this is one county that comes together. It’s not about anyone getting a name or anything. Everyone just wants to help.”
Speer says that they want the workers spending hours on the search and recovery to have what they need at this time.
“Yeah, we just pitched in and we took up donations and brought them up to drop them off at the church so that they can take a bottle of water, pop and go or donut or whatever other than that I just sit at home and pray,” Speer said.
They all say this situation struck their community hard, and that they will continue coming together to help first responders.