Russell County Coroner Mark Coots joined several other coroners from across the central and eastern Kentucky regions to assist first responders following the deadly tornado in London over the weekend.
Coots said he and other coroners were called out by the state’s emergency operations center to assist the Laurel County Coroner’s Office. Laurel County was one of the hardest hit areas in the state, with at least 17 confirmed deaths in Laurel County alone from the tornado.
The tornado in Laurel County traveled through the eastern portion of Russell County before making its way through Somerset and Pulaski County, then into Laurel County.
Coots said he and the other coroners assisted with positively identifying the deceased, notifying next of kin and providing transport to the state medical examiner’s office, along with various other tasks.
Coots spoke to WJRS News about the damage he saw while working in London.
Coots said he and the other coroners formed a convoy to transport the victims to the state medical examiner’s office. He said it was a difficult situation to work, but thankful he was able to help the families in a time of need.
