At least eight people at a Kentucky candle factory were killed during a barrage of devastating tornadoes across several Midwestern and Southern states late Friday night into Saturday, but the death toll in that facility, at least, will be far lower than first feared.
The victims there were among dozens thought to have been killed across several Kentucky counties. The state was the worst-hit by far in the unusual mid-December swarm of twisters that leveled entire communities and left at least 25 people dead in Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri.
President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Kentucky on Sunday night. He was to be briefed by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and others late Monday morning about the situation on the ground. Mayorkas and Criswell were among federal officials who viewed the twisters' aftermath on Sunday.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said Saturday that only 40 of the 110 people working in the factory at the time were rescued, and that "it'll be a miracle if anybody else is found alive in it." But on Sunday, the candle company said that while eight were confirmed dead and eight remained missing, more than 90 others had been located.
"Many of the employees were gathered in the tornado shelter and after the storm was over they left the plant and went to their homes," said Bob Ferguson, a spokesman for the company. "With the power out and no landline they were hard to reach initially. We're hoping to find more of those eight unaccounted as we try their home residences."
Beshear had said Sunday morning that the state's toll could exceed 100. But after state officials heard the company's update, he said that afternoon it might be as low as 50.
"We are praying that maybe original estimates of those we have lost were wrong. If so, it's going to be pretty wonderful," the governor said.
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