LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – The Whole Foods Market in downtown Lafayette was temporarily evacuated Tuesday morning after an alarm warned employees of a leak in the store’s refrigeration system.
Managers cleared customers and workers from the building while firefighters investigated the incident, according to local reports. The store, located at 3502 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, remained closed during the response.
The disruption proved relatively brief. A store manager said the market reopened at about noon after the investigation was completed.
Published accounts did not indicate that anyone was injured.
The incident involved a refrigerant leak rather than a natural-gas leak, an important distinction for shoppers who saw emergency personnel at the busy downtown grocery store. The exact refrigerant involved, the amount released and the source of the leak have not been publicly disclosed.
Refrigeration systems are essential to grocery-store operations, keeping products cold throughout display cases, coolers and storage areas. When a system alarm detects a possible leak, evacuating the building allows firefighters and technicians to assess conditions before employees and customers return.
Whole Foods’ website now lists the Lafayette store under its regular operating schedule of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The location also offers grocery pickup and delivery.
The Lafayette market opened in 2011 after years of planning and delays. Its location near the intersection of Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Dewing Avenue makes it one of the most visible and heavily visited grocery stores in the city’s downtown core.
The temporary evacuation occurred Tuesday, Sept. 15.
