‘Phoenix Fire Vows Unyielding Search: Update on Worker Missing After Storm-Induced Roof Collapse’

Recovery efforts resumed Thursday morning following a major building collapse in west Phoenix.

PHOENIX — Severe storms ravaged the Valley Wednesday night, leading to the collapse of the roof and backside of a commercial building in west Phoenix, the Phoenix Fire Department reported. One worker remains unaccounted for as rescue operations continue.

Due to the building’s instability, firefighters have refrained from entering the structure. Recovery efforts recommenced early Thursday morning.

“We will be out here for as long as it takes,” Phoenix Fire Captain and Public Information Officer Todd Keller declared during a Thursday afternoon news conference.

The missing worker, who is 22 years old and a father to a newborn, has not been publicly identified to protect the family’s privacy. Keller did not confirm whether the worker is alive.

To aid in the search, Phoenix fire officials deployed search and rescue dogs, alongside cameras and drones, into the building. By Thursday afternoon, two rescue dogs had alerted to the same location within the structure.

A secondary collapse poses a significant risk to the firefighters involved, Keller emphasized.

“Our first concern is the safety of our firefighters. We do know that someone is inside, so we are going to take our time,” Keller stated to 12News.

Moxie, one of the search dogs, has been trained to locate trapped individuals. However, the stability of the remaining three walls is a primary concern, Keller noted.

For safety reasons, 12News crews have been moved away from the building due to the potential hazard of further collapse.

According to the National Weather Service, the storms produced winds reaching up to 70 mph. Officials suspect that a microburst caused the extensive damage to the warehouse.

NWS Phoenix posted a velocity loop showing several microburst signatures, with indications of wind gusts surpassing 70 mph.

This is a developing story. Stay informed with Arizonanews.org for the latest updates.