UPDATE: Multi-Agency Investigation Underway into Gap Distribution Center Fire

UPDATE—Tuesday, August 30, 2016, 4:05 p.m.:

FISHKILL, NY — A multi-agency investigation is underway into the massive overnight fire Monday at the Gap Distribution Center in Fishkill that may have put 600 people out of work.

Dutchess County officials said the entire site has been taken offline in the wake of the fire in Building 100, a 990,000-square-foot facility, which began about 11 p.m.

New York State Police Capt. Dominick Chiumento said the fire is being jointly investigated by the State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York State Fire Prevention and Control and the Duthcess County Fire Investigation Division.

At a press conference, Chiumento said that all employees of the center were accounted for.

He said when the responding fire units arrived at the scene there was an active fire on the second level of the building.

Chiumento said the firefighters were driven out of the building by rapidly deteriorating conditions in which the fire went from bad to worse in about seven minutes.

County officials said that more than 20 fire departments from Dutchess, Putnam and Orange counties assisted in the fire-fighting efforts. EMS providers Mobile Life Support Service and EMStar were also involved.

County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro said he was grateful to the first responders who were on scene through the night and into the morning.

“While there is significant damage to Building 100 and the necessary investigations must all be completed, Dutchess County will do everything within our capability to assist the Gap and its employees to get back up and running at full capacity as quickly as possible,” he said.

Assistant County Executive for Economic Development Ron Hicks said the county has been in touch with the govenor, the Department of Labor’s Regional Rapid Response Coordinator “to meet the needs of the company, but also that of the displaced employees.

“We will be helping them in any way we can, to assist their employees in any way in the short term or the long term,” Hicks said.

He said the distribution center employees 1,300 people, 600 of whom work in Building 100.

The facility was recently incentivized, invested $96 million and was set to hire an additional 1,200 people.

Hicks said the business was "very important" to Dutchess County.

Written by Patch staff writer Michael Woyton.

Original Story—Tuesday, August 30, 2016, 7:10 a.m.:

FISHKILL, NY — Fire raged through the Gap Distribution Center in Fishkill overnight, in a massive blaze that took firefighters from three counties to control, according to news reports.

All employees who were at the center at the time have been accounted for, Gap spokeswoman Debbie Felix told news outlets.

“Safety is our top priority, and we are working closely with local emergency agencies that are responding to this incident,” she said in a statement.

The fire began at about 11 p.m., according to news reports.

"You can hear the roof collapsing as the fire burns out of control," said an observer who posted this video on YouTube.

State police are investigating the blaze. Merritt Boulevard remains closed Tuesday morning, police said.

SCREENSHOT/ hotjava69 via YouTube