The Amazon warehouse was destroyed, the scene of many medical crews surrounded

A tornado tore through an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, on Friday night, leaving death and destruction shortly afterward.

Police said the roof had been ripped off and a wall the length of a football field had collapsed. KTVI-TV.

At least 100 emergency vehicles responded to what was declared a mass casualty event.

At least two people have been confirmed dead, according to police KMOV-TV.

About 30 people in the building were rescued and taken by bus to the Pontoon Beach Police Department.

A rescue operation was underway early Saturday.

Video of a tornado hitting an Amazon facility near Edwardsville, IL tonight… from Danielle Henke pic.twitter.com/5CNbJ03VzI

– James Spann (@spann) December 11, 2021

Edwardsville Sheriff Mike Fillback said not sure how many people got stuck, according to KSDK-TV.

“It was a big warehouse so they had to put some concrete on it to make sure they were really safe in there, first responders, to do the search,” he said.

Amazon’s distribution warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill. Partially collapsed after Friday’s tornado. pic.twitter.com/QUBKSYUIMP

– Robert Cohen (@kodacohen) December 11, 2021

Aisha White said she was talking to a loved one who is an Amazon employee when tornado beaten.

“He was on the phone with me while it was going on,” she told KMOV. “The tornado hit the back of the building, the truck came, I told him to jump out of the truck and duck. We watched buildings go up, things hit cars, I told him I was on my way. “

Live reporting from @journalismjenna with Aiesha White, who says she has a loved one trapped inside the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Pontoon Beach/Edwardsville, which may have been hit by a tornado.
Insurance is on now @KMOV. pic.twitter.com/Tp706w4keM

– Cory Stark (@CoryStarkKMOV) December 11, 2021

Sarah Biermann said she spoke with Amazon employee Austin McEwen, her husband, about half an hour before the storm made landfall. She arrived at the scene of the disaster after being unable to reach him on his phone.

“I decided to come down here to see what was going on and I didn’t know the building looked that bad. And I was just worried about getting sick,” Biermann told KSDK.

Amazon driver Thomas Dewalt said that when he comes minutes after the tornado hit, “The building was ripped apart.”

“The front corner of the building is still intact but the back corner of the building on the right side has been gouged in,” he said.

“The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now,” Amazon spokesman Richard Rocha said in a written statement Friday night. , according to KSDK. “We are assessing the situation and will share additional information as it becomes available.”