Columbus firefighter among rescue workers in hard-hit Kentucky town

A Columbus firefighter is among those deployed to Kentucky as part of Indiana’s elite search and rescue team.

The Columbus Fire Department announced that Firefighter Marcus Gruner has deployed with Indiana Task Force 1 to Mayfield, Kentucky.

Indianapolis Division Chief Tom Neal, commander of the Task Force said that the team was working yesterday at the site of the collapsed candle factory. Neal said the steel structure, which consisted of the factory and office space, collapsed during the height of the storm.

Teams used a 90 foot crane to peel back the factory roof and rubble as they searched. Neal said that the goal was to provide additional spaces for the team’s dogs to search for anyone still remaining in the structure.

The Indiana dogs, Jake, Eddie and Virgil, are specially trained search dogs.

Neal said that as of Monday afternoon, Task Force One had not yet pulled anyone from the rubble.

Note: Network Indiana contributed to this report

Photo: Columbus Firefighter Marcus Gruner. Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.