Fire damages QVC home-shopping network center in North Carolina

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP) — A occurrence ripped done a organisation halfway successful North Carolina for the QVC home-shopping tv web aboriginal Saturday, causing extended harm to the facility, officials said.

More than 300 employees were moving astatine the installation adjacent Rocky Mount erstwhile the occurrence was reported soon aft 2 a.m., The News & Observer reported. No injuries were instantly reported.

QVC representatives reported that each employees safely evacuated the warehouse and were accounted for but for 1 who hadn’t contacted household yet, according to Edgecombe County Manager Eric Evans. Earlier Saturday, Evans had said each of the center’s employees appeared to beryllium accounted for.

QVC representatives didn’t instantly respond to a connection near done its website.

Evans said a “main section” of the 1.2 million-square-foot (365,000-square-meter) installation appears to beryllium destroyed. Crews from astir 45 occurrence departments were inactive warring the blaze much than 12 hours aft it began.

“They’re moving precise hard to effort to support the remainder of that building,” Evans said. “Significant loss, but we’re precise hopeful that it’s not a full nonaccomplishment and that they’ll beryllium capable to rebuild here.”

The origin of the occurrence remains nether investigation, according to Evans.

QVC tweeted a connection astir the occurrence connected Saturday, saying, “We are presently focused connected our team. As we enactment to recognize the afloat interaction of this incident, including immoderate interaction to shipping and delivery, we’ll stock further details.”

QVC. Inc. is based successful West Chester, Pennsylvania, and is simply a wholly owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail Inc.

The Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce posted a Facebook connection that said up to 2,500 families would beryllium affected by the fire.