Amazon Building Collapse: 2 Reported Dead, Officials Say
Happening Now: Heavy Damage at Amazon Warehouse Fulfillment Center in Dundalk. Worker says, “a tornado blew through,ripped off side of the building.” Also, witness says a trucker was hurt when high winds toppled his rig.@FOXBaltimore pic.twitter.com/NXRZhcvqab
— Keith Daniels Fox45 (@KeithDFox45) November 3, 2018
BALTIMORE, MD — Two people died in a partial building collapse Friday night at the Amazon fulfillment center in southeast Baltimore as a severe thunderstorm blew through the area, officials confirmed on Saturday, Nov. 3. The combination of gusty winds and torrential rain left a trail of damage in its wake.
“Last night, severe weather impacted one of our facilities in Baltimore City, resulting in two fatalities,” Amazon Senior Vice President of Operations Dave Clark said in a statement on Saturday, Nov. 3. “First responders remain on-site assessing the damage.”
Both of the deceased were third-party contractors and did not work directly for Amazon, officials said. Nobody else was injured.
One man died after a wall fell on top of him at the building, according to ABC 2 News.
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Emergency personnel continued looking overnight for a second person trapped, who was found deceased under the rubble from the collapse Saturday morning, Fox 45 reported. The two men who died were identified as Israel Argote and Andrew Lindsay, according to the news station.
“The safety of our employees and contractors is our top priority, and at this time the building remains closed,” Clark said Saturday morning. “We are incredibly thankful for the quick response from emergency services. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families impacted by Friday evening’s tragic event.”
Major damage visible at @AmznFulfillment complex in SE Baltimore. No confirmation yet on what exactly happened. Stay with FOX45 for updates. pic.twitter.com/oXoknoiNzx
— FOX Baltimore (@FOXBaltimore) November 3, 2018
JUST IN: ‘Partial’ building collapse at Baltimore Amazon center: https://t.co/xsg0Fea8ow pic.twitter.com/pDhBboMxp7
— ABC 7 News – WJLA (@ABC7News) November 3, 2018
Tree debris littered the road around the fulfillment center, according to The Baltimore Sun.
There were more than 700 power outages in Baltimore City and more than 1,000 outages in Baltimore County, BGE reported after 11:40 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2.
Among those was Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, which announced it was closing after 11 p.m.
“Billboards were torn down, trees flew into the road,” Jimmy’s reported on Twitter.
The restaurant sent its prayers to Amazon, which was one of several buildings impacted by the storm.
Wind snapped up trees and blew the roofs of two apartment buildings in southeastern Baltimore County, and rain reportedly caused the roof to cave in at TJ Maxx in nearby Mt. Airy.
According to WBAL meteorologist Tony Pann, a 71 mph wind gust was recorded in Hampstead on Friday, Nov. 2.
There were 2.38 inches of rain in Taneytown, with more than 1 inch of rain around Baltimore City and Baltimore County, based on preliminary reports to the National Weather Service.
A survey team from the National Weather Service will reportedly assess the damage in the region on Saturday, Nov. 3.
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Image of the Amazon fulfillment center via Google street view.