2 Killed In Amazon Building Collapse Amid Storm: Officials

BALTIMORE, MD — Two people were killed at the Amazon fulfillment center in southeast Baltimore Friday night as a severe thunderstorm blew through the greater Baltimore area and caused a partial building collapse near Holabird Avenue. The storm also ripped the roofs from buildings in nearby Dundalk.

"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."

One man died after a wall fell on top of him at the building, according to ABC 2 News.

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.

Both of the deceased were third-party contractors and did not work directly for Amazon, officials said. Nobody else was injured.

"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.”

SEE ALSO: Roofs Blow Off Two Dundalk Apartment Buildings, Tenants Displaced

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

The damage at Amazon affected the campus near Broening Highway and Holabird Avenue.

Tree debris littered the road around the fulfillment center, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The National Weather Service will send a survey team to assess the damage on Saturday, Nov. 3, the newspaper reported.

The damage to the Amazon building came as severe thunderstorms snapped up trees and pummeled the region with more than an inch of rain.

There were 729 power outages in Baltimore City after 11:40 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, according to BGE.

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.

About 40 miles northwest of the damage in Dundalk and southeast Baltimore, trees were uprooted and a shopping center roof caved in on itself in Mt. Airy in Carroll County.

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.

SEE ALSO: Storm Damages Shopping Center In Mt. Airy

Image of the Amazon fulfillment center via Google street view.