Freon leak evacuates Elk Grove grocery store

An Elk Grove Village grocery store was evacuated Monday morning due to a refrigeration chemical leak.

An Elk Grove fire department crew responded at 8:52 a.m. to the Jewel-Osco at 20 Biesterfield Road after three employees complained of irritating symptoms, Lt. Scott Peterson said.

Fire officials evacuated the store and found that a faulty refrigeration valve caused 800 pounds of Freon to leak into the building, Peterson said.

The leak occurred in a storage area away from customers, but nine people were treated at the scene for minor irritation, officials said.

All nine people signed release forms.

A hazmat team responded to the scene with chemical meters and found no dangerous readings, allowing the store to reopen.

Peterson said the gas evaporates rapidly in the atmosphere and the store was able to resume operations in about an hour.

He said it could have been a dangerous leak if it were in a small enclosed space.

“Luckily no one went to the hospital,” he said.

Peterson said an exhaust fan located above the leak helped clear the air quickly.