Walmart to permanently close distribution center hit by fire; 1,132 jobs lost

PLAINFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Walmart will not reopen the Plainfield warehouse facility that was destroyed by fire earlier this spring, the company has announced.

In a letter dated Friday, the company notified state leaders that the entire facility will close, leaving 1,132 workers without a job.

A March 16 fire gutted a warehouse at the Plainfield location.

“Unfortunately, the property damage is too significant to reopen the facility for the foreseeable future,” Jason Speedy, Walmart’s Regional Vice President wrote in the letter.

On Tuesday, a Walmart spokesperson told News 8 the company is working with Duke Realty to decide the future for the Plainfield warehouse site.

The company does say 957 of the 2,089 workers at the Plainfield location have already accepted other jobs within the company. 

Walmart will continue to offer compensation for hourly workers through July 1, to give them time to look for other employment.

Salaried workers will receive pay through July 15.

Investigators have not yet announced a cause of the fire.