On Wednesday, Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant, reported that one of its facilities situated in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, suffered significant damage due to a destructive tornado.
“We can confirm that the Pfizer Rocky Mount facility was damaged by the tornado. Pfizer colleagues at the site followed our established safety protocol and were able to evacuate. They are safe and accounted for,” Pfizer tweeted. “We are assessing the situation to determine the impact on production. Our thoughts are with our colleagues, our patients, and the community as we rebuild from this weather incident,” the company added.
Video footage reveals the extent of the devastation that the tornado wreaked upon the facility.
Pfizer’s website indicates that various products are made at the location.
“The Rocky Mount, North Carolina site is one of the largest sterile injectable facilities in the world, with more than 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing space on 250 acres in Eastern North Carolina. Nearly 25 percent of all sterile injectables used in U.S. hospitals are produced at the site,” Pfizer’s website states. “At this facility, a wide range of products are produced, including anesthesia, analgesia, therapeutics, anti-infectives, and neuromuscular blockers. These products are available in small volume presentations, such as ampules, vials, and syringes, and large volume presentations, such as IV bags and semi-rigid bottles.”
The National Weather Service, Raleigh, N.C., Twitter account noted that “damage has been found north of Rocky Mount consistent with an EF3 tornado and wind speeds of 150 mph.”