Massive Fire Destroys 1.2M SF Walmart Distribution Center

Walmart Plainfield Fire
Courtesy of Plainfield Fire Territory
Plainfield Fire Territory Work To Extinguish A Fire At The Walmart Distribution Center Near Indianapolis.

A fire visible from space broke out at a massive Walmart distribution center in Indiana on Wednesday, and firefighters are still working to put it out more than a day later.

More than 25 fire departments were called to extinguish the blaze at the 1.2M SF warehouse in Plainfield, Indiana. Firefighters worked through the night and were still battling to put out the fire as of Thursday morning, Plainfield Fire Chief Brent Anderson told Bisnow.

“The fire is not fully extinguished, that will take another day or so to fully accomplish,” Anderson told Bisnow in an email. “Cause and origin will take days or weeks to determine.”

Over 200 firefighters have been involved in efforts to extinguish the five-alarm fire, and one suffered a minor injury. Smoke was visible from miles away, with the National Weather Service even tweeting a satellite photo of the smoke plume.

Walmart’s Plainfield distribution center is close to the Indianapolis airport, and roughly a 30-minute drive from the state capital. The warehouse stocked goods including food, clothing and electronics, along with cardboard to box items for delivery, the Indianapolis Star reported.

About 1,000 employees were working in the warehouse when the fire broke out, but all were safely evacuated, according to the Star. Workers have not yet been told when they will be able to return to their jobs.

Plainfield’s Police Department told the Star that it could take some time before members of the public, including workers, are allowed back on the site. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is poised to lead an investigation into the fire’s cause, with help from other agencies.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Related Topics: Walmart , Walmart e-commerce
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's National Newsletters
Related Stories

Discussing Strategic Capital Stack Structuring At Bisnow's Sept. 30 National Finance Event

Inside The Nationwide Jockeying For Opportunity Zones 2.0

Bally's Lines Up $560M Loan For Bronx Casino: The N.Y. Deal Sheet

GTIS Partners Rebrands As Brightshore Capital, Launches $250M Debt Platform

Data Center Spills 5,000 Gallons Of Fuel Into New Jersey River

Historic Brooklyn Hotel To Be Turned Into Ritz-Carlton-Branded Condos

Hines And Rialto Close Office Credit Fund At $1.1B

Chipotle Adding Hundreds Of New Locations Worldwide

'Beyond A Routine Wobble': 10-Year Treasury Clears 5% Ahead Of Key Fed Meeting

Trump's DEI Crackdown Is Creating New Risks For Landlords That Lease To The Government

Taconic Partners Sheds Another NYC Life Sciences Property

Airbnb Launches $250M Fund To Invest In Affordable Housing