A QVC distribution center in North Carolina went up in flames Saturday morning, leaving more than 1,000 people in the area with no workplace to go to.
The News & Observer reported Saturday evening that one employee might be missing and that the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office is investigating.
At around 2 a.m., multiple alarms began going off at the Rocky Mount, N.C., facility. Several fire protection agencies arrived at the scene and employees in the building were evacuated while massive flames engulfed most of the structure.
According to WRAL, most of the building – roughly the size of 30 football fields – was destroyed. Thankfully, authorities believe that no people were killed or injured in the blaze.
“As far as we know right now... no one was hurt and no one lost their life here,” said Edgecombe County Manager Eric Evans.
However, the fire is a “devastating blow to a significant employer in the area,” WRAL said. An estimated 1,200 people work at the center and the fire is expected to impact 2,500 families.
QVC is known for its television shopping programs. Customers can purchase a wide range of items, from apparel and accessories to cooking appliances. The company also has distribution centers in Lancaster, Penn.; Suffolk, Va.; Ontario, Calif., and Florence, S.C., according to a 2016 press release.
Smoke was still visible at the Rocky Mount site as the sun rose. Drone footage revealed large-scale damage of the building.
“Our goal is to work with state agencies to try and help them get the assistance that they need,” Evans said of the employees impacted. “That's critical. This devastation is more than just this physical building.”
WRAL said the distribution center has operated since the early 2000s. The site property had a solar farm on 11 acres comprised of 11,564 solar electric panels as of 2013, said Carolina Country.
As of Saturday afternoon, the cause of the fire was unknown.
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