EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — Injuries were reported after a roof collapsed at an Amazon warehouse in southern Illinois on Friday night as severe weather hit parts of the midwest.
The collapse was reportedly caused by either straight-line winds or a tornado moving through the area, according to KMOV TV.
The Associated Press reported that a large tornado was reported in the Edwardsville area at about the time the building was damaged. The National Weather Service office near St. Louis issued reports of “radar-confirmed tornadoes” in the Edwardsville area.
First responders were called to the warehouse after reports of people trapped inside.
One official told KTVI-TV that up to 100 people were believed to be in the building, working the night shift, at the time of the collapse.
A woman said she was on the phone with a family member as the building collapsed and is now waiting to see if he’s OK.
Over a few hours, there have been multiple helicopters landing outside of the warehouse and a number of buses rolling in to help evacuate people who were not injured at the site.
The state’s governor tweeted that he was aware of what happened at the warehouse and said, “My prayers are with the people of Edwardsville tonight, and I’ve reached out to the mayor to provide any needed state resources.”
Amazon is assessing the damage at its facility and said in a statement: “The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now. We’re assessing the situation and will share additional information when it’s available.”
Storms in Illinois, Arkansas were among several places in the Midwest that reported tornadoes spotted or on the ground.
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