Power plant collapses in Ohio, trapping numerous workers

One person is hospitalised, three others are still missing

The Killen Generating Station in Adams County, Ohio following a collapse, which trapped five workers inside. (Screenshot via WLWT5 News)

One person is in the hospital and at least three are unaccounted for after a power plant in Ohio collapsed while workers were inside. 

The Killen Generating station in Adams County, Ohio collapsed while workers were inside dismantling the plant. WLWT5 reported that the building’s awning collapsed.  

Search and rescue crews are on site. 

Adams County Sheriff Kim Rogers said that initially there were five people unaccounted for. 

By 11 am, one individual had been transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. A second person managed to escape the collapse and does not appear to have sustained major injuries. 

Three people are still missing. 

Darren Mingee, who lives near the plant, told Cincinatti.com that he heard a sound similar to that of a train derailing around 9 am. He said he saw black smoke rising from the site of the plant and rushed out to help.

“People were in shock,” he said.

Mr Rogers said all of the missing are workers with the demolitions crew.

“It’s the demolition people [who were involved],” Mr Rogers said. “Next week they were preparing to take that building down and those stacks. So this was some kind of preparation to take that building down.”

Contractors have been working to dismantle the plant for months. 

The plant opened in 1982 and was closed in 2018. 

Mr Rogers said the Killen plant and it’s sister plant were likely the largest employers in Adams County. 

He said that Adams County annual budget is $7m, and that the plant accounted for about $1m of that. 

Donnie Edgington, the police chief of Winchester, Ohio, said the plant’s closure dealt an enormous blow to the region and those who worked there. 

“Everyone knew someone who worked there,” he said. “When they closed it was hard times for a lot of people. They didn’t know anything else. They worked here their whole lives.” 

Mr Edgington estimated approximately 1,000 and 2,000 people had been employed between the two plants.