Massive fire destroys Indiana Walmart distribution center

A massive fire destroyed an Indiana Walmart distribution center on Wednesday, with no severe injuries or deaths reported. 

Plainfield Fire Chief Brent Anderson said it is unclear how the fire started as a cloud of black smoke was visible behind him during the press conference. 

He said all 1,000 employees in the center have been found and no one is believed to have been severely injured or died during the incident. 

One firefighter suffered a minor injury but was able to get back to the scene.

Anderson said authorities got a call from an associate when the fire broke out. Employees said they tried to fight the fire but that it was too big by the time they found it. 

A spokesperson for Walmart told The Hill all the employees will get paid 40 hours for the week plus overtime, along with an option to be transferred to another store for the foreseeable future.

Lodging and transportation will also be provided, as many employees had their personal belongings destroyed in the fire. 

“We’re thankful to local emergency crews for their quick response and for helping us account for the safety of our associates and those at the facility. We’ll continue working with police and fire personnel and are referring all questions to them,” a statement from Walmart reads. “We’ve already taken steps to limit the impact to customers by relying on the resiliency of our supply chain facilities and stores across the country to help shoulder the load as we work to normalize operations.”

Residents close to the incident were told to stay inside as smoke continues to build up. Anderson said he could not comment on the toxicity in the air.