2 dead in accident at future Amazon site

Search for more continues in Suffolk accident

SUFFOLK — Two workers are dead and more were missing after an unspecified industrial accident Saturday afternoon at the site of a future Amazon fulfillment center, authorities said.

Emergency dispatchers were notified of the incident in the 2000 block of Northgate Commerce Parkway shortly before 2:15 p.m, according to a city news release.

Emergency crews were searching for multiple workers unaccounted for, according to the release.

City spokesman Timothy

Kelley confirmed the accident happened at the 87acre Amazon site, but did not know the nature of the incident or how many people were missing. He said details of the accident will ultimately be investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The Chesapeake Fire Department and Virginia Fire Department Technical Rescue Teams were also on the scene.

No other information was available at press time.

Amazon bought the property in December for more than $4.5 million.

When completed it will be “the largest industrial building in Virginia,” Suffolk officials have said, standing 90 feet tall and spanning 3.8 million square feet. By comparison the Pentagon, has 3.7 million square feet of office space.