Documentary details March 2022 Plainfield warehouse fire at Walmart centre

Warehouse fire documentary premieres in Plainfield

A new documentary examining the March 2022 Plainfield Walmart fulfilment centre warehouse fire is due to premiere later this month in Indiana.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) has announced the release of “When the Sky Turned Black”, produced with Full Vision Productions and the Plainfield Fire Territory.

Two private screenings for members of the Plainfield Fire Territory and their families will take place on 27 January 2026.

The film will then be screened for the wider fire service on 28 January at about 2:00 p.m. at the Town of Plainfield Civic Center, with media invited to attend.

The documentary will also be made available to view after its premiere on the NFFF YouTube channel.

What the film covers

The documentary features interviews with firefighters who responded to the incident.

It sets out a detailed timeline of the fire using visual footage and reenactments.

It also examines the emotional impact of the incident on members of the Plainfield Fire Territory.

Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the NFFF, said: “When the Sky Turned Black’ not only documents the intensity of that day, but the experiences and emotions of the heroic firefighters who lived it and helped prevent human tragedy.

“This documentary reinforces our commitment to supporting fire departments across the country with the knowledge, training and resources they need to safeguard the communities they serve and promote firefighter survival.”

The film follows the release of the NFFF’s 2025 report, “Inside the Plainfield Mega-Warehouse Fire: Critical Lessons for Firefighters”.

Background on the Plainfield incident

Plainfield is home to more than 60 fulfilment centres and is often referred to as the unofficial “Distribution Center of the Country”.

The Walmart fulfilment centre involved was a 1.4-million-square-foot facility containing more than 20 miles of rack storage aisles.

Shortly after noon on Wednesday, 16 March 2022, the Plainfield Fire Territory responded to a report of a fire inside the building.

The fire originated on the second floor of a multi-story module.

Firefighters initially found the sprinkler system had contained the flames and visible fire was extinguished within minutes.

Cold smoke filled large areas of the building, reducing visibility.

After the affected zone was isolated and the sprinkler system shut down, fire spread through the upper levels of the structure.

Dense smoke rapidly descended to floor level, creating disorienting and hazardous conditions, with three firefighters narrowly escaping.

The facility was destroyed, resulting in $500 million in property loss.

No employees or firefighters sustained major injuries.

Plainfield Fire Territory Chief Brent Anderson said: “The Plainfield distribution center fire was one of the most significant and challenging incidents our brave men and women have ever faced.

“We thank the NFFF for their ongoing work educating our community.

“The lessons we took away from that day continue to guide how we strengthen our departments, ensuring our crews have what they need should we ever face an event of this magnitude again.”

The documentary expands on lessons identified in the foundation’s earlier report on the incident.