Drone Video Shows Walmart Distribution Center Fire
A blaze at a Walmart distribution center distribution has created a large mushroom cloud of smoke that can be seen all over Indianapolis, FOX59 reports.
Nearly 200 firefighters are now on the scene, and officials are urging anyone living near the impending plume of smoke to take cover and stay inside, as well as to avoid touching any of the particles that are raining down on the city’s west side.
Officials with the Plainfield Fire Department confirmed the fire is at a 1.2 million square foot Walmart distribution center at 9590 AllPoints Parkway, between Avon and the Indianapolis International Airport. Adjacent infrastructures near the warehouse are being forced to evacuate as a precaution, according to officials.
According to Plainfield Fire Chief Brent Anderson, the blaze started on the 3rd floor of the warehouse shortly before midday on Wednesday. Firefighters were conducting a exercise in the area and were ready to respond in minutes, he said. Inside the warehouse, however, firefighters discovered a frenzied fire and smoke so thick that they couldn’t see anything.
Inside the warehouse, however, firefighters discovered a frenzied fire and smoke so thick that they couldn’t see anything.
Anderson stated that firefighters battled the fire inside the warehouse for a half-hour before being forced to back away, pull crews out of the building, and shift to a defensive operation. During the escape, two firefighters went missing for a few minutes, causing a “few tense minutes,” according to Anderson.
According to fire officials, there were no injuries as a result of the blaze, and approximately 1,000 Walmart employees were inside the warehouse at the time of the fire. All firefighters and employees have been accounted for.
Air quality concerns after fire at Walmart Distribution Center in Plainfield
Plainfield school buses are transporting employees to a reunification site, according to officials. The reunification center is located at 1750 Smith Road in Plainfield, which is an Amazon building. According to officials, many employees were forced to leave their cell phones behind during the evacuation and were unable to contact relatives.
As media crews arrived at the warehouse, they heard several loud booms. Officials have no idea what caused the fire, and when asked what might be burning inside the Walmart warehouse, Anderson said, “if you can think of it, it’s probably in there.”
