Mayfield candle factory workers transported to Vanderbilt trauma center for chemical burns

At least 28 Kentucky storm survivors were transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center over the weekend to be treated for serious injuries. Many were from the candle factory that collapsed in Mayfield.

“Those are a little bit more distinguishable from some of the others because they had burns,” says Dr. Brad Dennis, Vanderbilt’s trauma medical director.

There were 110 people working overnight at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory Friday when the storm hit, according to the company and Kentucky officials. The workers were trying to meet the holiday rush for candles.

Roughly 40 workers were initially rescued. Since then, a few have been found alive in the rubble. But an untold number remain missing as of Monday.

The patients who ended up at Vanderbilt were flown or rushed by ground ambulance. Most were transferred from local hospitals.

Many had traumatic brain injuries or spinal damage from being pinned in the rubble. But they also had both thermal and chemical burns.

“They did come with some material on them that led to the burns, so we had to do some decontamination on a number of patients upon their arrival,” Dennis says.

The storm survivors were in such serious condition that most have not yet been released.

Vanderbilt is the closest Level 1 trauma center, but the local hospital in Mayfield has also been hampered by its own tornado damage. The facility, owned by Brentwood-based LifePoint, is currently running on generator power and a backup water source.