Fire breaks out at site of Apple's Arizona 'command center'

Firefighters responded late Tuesday morning to a large industrial fire near Phoenix, Ariz. at a site that formerly housed a supplier for Apple.

Investigators believe the blaze started near some solar panels on the roof of the large warehouse hear Signal Butte and Elliot roads and much of the fire's damage was confined to that area, said deputy chief Forrest Smith, a Mesa, Ariz. fire spokesman.

Smith said 40 to 50 people were evacuated from the warehouse after the fire was reported at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

It took about 30 minutes for firefighters to get the blaze under control, Smith said.

Crews were evaluating the building Tuesday afternoon to determine what structural damage the fire did to the building, if any, Smith said, and employees would not be allowed to return to the facility until it was safe to do so.

An Apple spokesman referred questions to local fire officials and declined to comment on whether the fire would have an impact on plans for the company's data center in Mesa.

The facility closed last year and put hundreds of people out of work. Earlier this year, Apple announced that the company would establish a $2 billion "command center" at the 1.3 million square foot building.

The center was expected create 150 full-time jobs for Apple, and could generate from 300 to 500 construction and trade jobs while the facility is built out.