Walmart location in Columbus temporarily closed after possible Freon leak

UPDATE: (5/10/2024): The Walmart has reopened and the four employees have been medically cleared, the fire department said.

———————————————

COLUMBUS, Ind. — A Walmart Supercenter location in Columbus has been temporarily closed after a possible Freon leak was reported by employees.

According to a news release from the Columbus Police Department, the Columbus Fire Department was called to the Walmart Supercenter on Whitfield Drive after four employees reported they had been exposed to a Freon gas leak.

The reported leak was in the area of the storeroom’s refrigerator/freezer, an area that is not accessible by the public, the release said.

Firefighters, along with area first responders, assessed the four employees, who were later taken to a local hospital out of precaution. Officials said in the release that the four employees did not “present with any apparent life threats.”

The release said that firefighters inspected the area where the leak was reported and “found no evidence of an active Freon leak.” A review of the system’s alarms, along with monitoring devices, also indicated that the system was operating normally.

The store is expected to remain closed until a full inspection of the store’s refrigerant system could take place, the release said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 59.