MANCHESTER, Ohio — A second man missing in a collapse that occurred at the former Dayton, Power and Light Killen Generating Station could take weeks to find, according to officials.
Adamo Group President Richard Adamo said crews have a probable location of Jamie Fitzgerald. However, more debris must be removed from the site before first responders can get closer to the location.
Adamo said an engineering plan will be developed by a firm called Thornton and Tomasetti. Officials with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also be arriving at the site to assist with debris removal.
“Based upon the amount of debris required to be removed, the process could take up to two weeks. After the engineering plan is developed and approved, additional information will be released,” Adamo said. “We trust there is an understanding of how his process must be done in a manner that does not pose a safety hazard to those working on the recovery effort and is done with as much sensitivity as is possible. Our thoughts and prayers continue for Jamie’s family, fiancé, friends and co-workers.”
Fitzgerald has been missing since the collapse occurred on Wednesday at the site.
The body of Douglas Gray was found on Saturday. Three other workers, whose names have not been released, were found alive Dec. 9. Two were transported to Meadowview Regional Medical Center and the third was airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Hospital with unknown injuries.
On Saturday, Adamo released a statement about finding Gray’s remains.
“On behalf of the entire Adamo Group, we expresses our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Clyde Douglas Gray, who tragically lost his life in the collapse that occurred Wednesday at the Killen Generating Station demolition site in Adams County, Ohio. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with his family, his fiancée, his friends and his co-workers during this very sorrowful and difficult time,” Adamo said.
The cause of the collapse is still unknown.
According to Adams County Sheriff Kimmy Rogers, at 8:30 a.m., on Dec. 9, dispatch in Adams County received a call to respond to a collapse at the site. At the time, five people were trapped inside one of the buildings that had blown over.
Though the scene looked like the entire plant had collapsed, Rogers said most of the debris was already there before one building collapsed.
“Most of the debris you see on the ground, that was already taken down by the demolition crew,” he said. “The tallest building was pretty much intact this morning. That was where the people were working and it’s the one that collapsed. Next week, they were preparing to take down those stacks. This was work in preparation of that.”
The construction of the Killen Station, which is located along US 52 in Adams County, began in 1974, with the plant opening for operation in 1982. It was closed in May 2018.. was purchased by Commercial Liability Partners, LLC. and an announcement was made in December 2019 that the station, along with the J.M. Stuart station, would be demolished.
At the time, the company announced it was focusing on the development of remediation plans with a goal of re-purposing the site for future redevelopment.
This is the latest information as of press time on Tuesday. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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