Employees at an Amazon fulfillment center in Markham, Illinois, had to be evacuated after a fire broke out at the massive facility Thursday morning.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, but an employee told FOX 32 Chicago she believes it may have involved a conveyor belt or other type of machinery. She observed that the building smelled of smoke.
When the TV news crew first arrived at the scene in the 2200 block of West 159th Street, dozens of people were outside, but the local station reported around 8:40 a.m. local time that employees appeared to have gone back inside the building.
Emergency vehicles, including a fire truck, were still present at that time, although no ambulances had been there.
Amazon and the local fire department have not yet provided information about the reported fire. (FOX 32 Chicago's@JoanieLum/Twitter)
The fulfillment center employs thousands of people, and a lot of cars were still seen in the parking lot. Local reports say the facility opened in October 2021.
Fire officials have not yet provided any additional information, and have already left the scene.
The company's logistics center in Boves, France, Oct. 6, 2021. (Reuters/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo / Reuters Photos)
Amazon did not immediately respond to a FOX Business request for comment.