The image was taken by TIM VIZER/AFP.
The Amazon warehouse in Illinois collapsed after a bout of severe weather and tornados that ripped across the Midwest and South on Friday night. A number of workers are still missing, and at least two deaths have been confirmed.
The collapse was called a mass casualty incident by a post on the agency's Facebook page. A photo of a large portion of the warehouse completely torn away by the storm was posted on the update.
Police chief Mike Fillback told reporters during a press conference this morning that authorities have had trouble finding out how many people they actually had at that facility. Amazon management was at the scene to help create a list of staff members who are accounted for, however, it is still difficult to determine how many people remain trapped inside the collapsed building.
Around 30 people made it out of the facility. Some people were taken by bus to a safe area to be with their family, but others were able to leave the scene on their own. It is unclear how many people were in the building, but Fillback thinks it might have been around 50.
Richard Rocha said that the safety and well-being of their employees and partners is their top priority. We will share additional information when it is available.
Illinois was not the only state affected by the storms. 70 deaths are expected in Kentucky, while one person was killed when a possible tornado hit a nursing home in Arkansas. The administration is working with the governors to ensure they have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue.
