Des Plaines Jewel-Osco reopens after gas leak

A Des Plaines grocery store has reopened after a gas leak temporarily closed its doors Saturday.

Jewel-Osco at Elmhurst Road and Dempster Street reopened about 3 p.m. after shoppers earlier were turned away from the store.

Employees detected the smell of gas Saturday morning. Des Plaines firefighters who responded to the store also detected the presence of gas on their meter reading devices, according to Battalion Chief Bob Ward.

The leak apparently stemmed from a roof top heating unit, Ward said.

Nicor Gas was called to the store to shut the system down temporarily, and Jewel store management called in a heating and ventilation system crew to try to isolate the leak and repair it, Ward said.

On Saturday morning, doors to the store were open to air the building out. Orange cones were put up at the driveway entrances of the store parking lot to discourage shoppers.

No injuries have been reported.