LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It has been three years since tornadoes leveled a candle factory in Mayfield when more than 100 employees were working. That incident killed nine people and injured several others.

Three years later, a lawyer representing former employees said four lawsuits over this tragedy are still unresolved.

What You Need To Know

  • It's been three years since an EF-4 tornado leveled a candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, killing nine people 

  • More than 100 people were working at that Mayfield Consumer Products facility at the time of the collapse

  • Three years later, four lawsuits over that tragedy are still unresolved
  • A lawyer representing the employees said the largest of the four lawsuits is moving along at a normal pace, but a "normal pace" can be frustrating for those who were affected and are still suffering

The largest of the four is a mass action lawsuit on behalf of the families of four employees who died in the collapse and 14 survivors. It's levied against Mayfield Consumer Products, which owns the candle factory.

Amos Jones, one of the lawyers for the former employees, said the cases are moving at what he calls a normal pace. However, "normal" can be frustrating for those affected because it means no results after three long years.

“I think that normal litigation moves way too slow," Jones said. "We’ve got injured persons who are having workers’ compensation denied and without insurance who have bills and debt collectors at times coming on them. Three years is just too long."

"We’ve got to find a way to improve the system. Judges are overworked. Case loads are high. Lawyers are overworked. We’ve got to find a way where people who are hurt can get a resolution one way or another faster than this."

Employees were trapped for hours in the candle factory's rubble. John Lawson, one of the former employees Jones represents, said in 2022 — a year after the storms — that he sustained three fractured disks, a bulged disk and had to have a bone spur removed. 

Aside from the physical pain, the emotional trauma was also a major hurdle.

“It isn’t just Dec. 11," Lawson said in a 2022 interview. "It has been every night since that has happened. I’m sure a lot of us will have to deal with this forever." 

Amos said three years later, his clients are still hurting.

“Our clients are seeking justice in the form of remuneration of damages and hopefully reforms will be implemented and this will never happen again to dutiful, loyal, good hardworking Kentuckians," Amos said.

As for next steps in the mass action suit, Jones said major briefs are due in Jan. 2025 now that much of the discovery has been taken. This suit is the largest of the four that are ongoing.

Spectrum News 1 has also been following one of the other cases. In 2023, a judge in that case ruled the false-light and defamation claims plaintiffs made against Mayfield Consumer Products could proceed. Jones said that case is also moving along at a normal pace.

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