Tornado-damaged Pfizer plant in North Carolina restarts production
ByThe Associated Press
Damage to Pfizer facility in Rocky Mount area A tornado tore through part of North Carolina on July 19
ByThe Associated Press
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP) — A major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in North Carolina that makes critical supplies for U.S. hospitals has restarted production about 10 weeks after it was heavily damaged by a tornado, the company announced Monday.
Getting a majority of manufacturing lines at the Rocky Mount facility back up and running is a “proud achievement,” Pfizer said in a statement. Full production across the facility’s three manufacturing sites is expected by the end of the year.
(PHOTOS: Tornado hits east of Raleigh)
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Tornado hits east of Raleigh
Tornado hits east of Raleigh
Workers protect children inside daycare as tornado rips through playground
Tornado hits east of Raleigh
Tornado hits east of Raleigh
Tornado hits east of Raleigh
Tornado hits east of Raleigh
Tornado hits east of Raleigh
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage along Nash-Edgecombe County line
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage along Nash-Edgecombe County line Resident James Powell shows Channel 9 the damage done to his home.
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage along Nash-Edgecombe County line
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage along Nash-Edgecombe County line
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage along Nash-Edgecombe County line
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage along Nash-Edgecombe County line
EF-3 tornado causes extensive damage in Nash County (JACOB PITCHFORD)
Damage to Pfizer facility in Rocky Mount area A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
Damage to Pfizer facility in Rocky Mount area A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
Damage to Pfizer facility in Rocky Mount area A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
Damage in Nash, Edgecombe counties A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
Damage to Pfizer facility in Rocky Mount area A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
Damage in Nash, Edgecombe counties A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
Damage in Nash, Edgecombe counties A tornado tore through part of North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports.
I-95 damage Interstate 95 was closed near Rocky Mount due to obstructions, between Highway 64 and Highway 43. The North Carolina Department of Transportation told WTVD it’s expected to reopen by 4 p.m. Wednesday. (NCDOT)
Nash County storms A tornado touched down in North Carolina Wednesday afternoon, WTVD in Raleigh reports. (WTVD)
Parts of the massive plant’s roofs were ripped open and pallets of medicine tossed around when the tornado touched down on July 19. But most of the damage was to a storage facility for raw materials, packaging supplies and finished medicines, rather than its medicine production areas, Pfizer said. No employees were hurt.
The plant produces anesthesia and other drugs as well as nearly one-fourth of the sterile injectable medications Pfizer supplies to U.S. hospitals, the company said.
Thirteen medicines were prioritized based on patient need and inventory levels, and are now back in production on the lines that have restarted, Pfizer said. The medicines are expected to ship to distribution centers in the fourth quarter of this year.
Although manufacturing has resumed, the company said some medicines may not be back in full supply until next year.
(WATCH: Woman describes surviving tornado after wind flips her car near Charleston)
Woman describes surviving tornado after wind flips her car near Charleston
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