FISHKILL, N.Y. -- Douglas Vinson, a truck driver for the Gap, says he's had to drive his company truck around since Monday, because his car is still stuck in the parking lot of the Gap distribution center in Fishkill.
Building 100 was gutted by a fire that broke out Monday night. Employees say the warehouse was filled with cardboard, steel and plastic.
"It's still smoldering a little ... but it's just very upsetting. This here is our bread and butter," Vinson said.
Joseph Lalli, who works in another building on the site, says he's been told it has limited damage.
"There might have been smoke damage in the conveying tunnel that brings their product over to our building, because our building holds all the shipping," Lalli said.
Employees say it's hard to tell from the outside the actual size of the warehouse.
"If you want to stand next to a shelf -- I'm about as high as one shelf -- so most of the shelves are six stacks of me high, and for me, just to even walk into the lobby to where I need to punch in takes five minutes," Lalli said.
More than 600 people work at the entire site. With the upcoming holiday season, Gap was looking to hire 600 additional employees.
"This here is Christmas time for us, so we're very busy so to see everything stop and at a stand still is devastating," Vinson said.
Workers have received daily automated voicemails and text messages from the Gap. Some employees have second jobs that they are able to rely on. But those like Lalli solely rely on their income from this facility.
"I'm hoping I can get back to work within the next few weeks," Lalli said, "and maybe hopefully, all the other people that work in the other building can get back to work and work in our building in the next few weeks, also."
Dutchess County officials have been working with the company to find new locations. They say getting the employees back to work is their number-one goal.
"I think 90 percent of their employees come from Dutchess and Orange [counties], so they're not just all coming from here," said Assistant Dutchess County Executive Ron Hicks. "So we hope that, within a 25 mile-radius, we can find spaces for them and give them those options."
Late Wednesday afternoon, crews began knocking down walls of the warehouse that were badly damaged by the fire. Police say the investigation is still ongoing.
Employees say Gap has ensured they will be paid through the end of the week, but after Friday, they say they're unsure if they'll receive paychecks.