(BIVN) – The parking lot of the Downtown Hilo Sack N Save was empty on Tuesday evening, following a store closure due to a freon gas leak.
The Kinoʻole Street store had to be be evacuated at around 3:30 p.m. after an unknown white smoke was seen “originating from a machine room in the back of the store, spreading out into the store floor.”
The Hawaiʻi Fire Department responded with the Haz Mat Company, confirmed the smoke, and observed no signs of heat or fire. “Air sampling and monitoring performed,” a fire dispatch reported. “Material identified by system technician as freon gas escaping from a damaged refrigerator system compressor.”
The Sack N Save was closed to complete repairs, the fire department said, and will reopen Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported.
