The BJ wholesale club evacuates after Gasleck in Southern Pines

The BJ wholesale club in Southern Pines was evacuated on Saturday due to a gas leak. The business is not yet open to the public, but at the time of the incident there were several employees and construction workers inside.

According to Ken Skipper, deputy fire chief of Southern Pines, the incident occurred in the maintenance room in the back of the building. A contractor worked in the room when a CO2 tank suddenly started to remove gas in the air.

Alarms went out in the room and throughout the building and alerted the building residents at the risk.

All employees and workers safely evacuated the building and no injuries were reported.

According to the deputy chief skipper, the large walk-in coolers and other refrigerator units are cooled in the entire shop with CO2 gas, the tanks of which are included in the maintenance room.

Southern Pines Fire & Rescue, Moore County Ems and Southern Pines Police reacted to the incident.

~ Article and Photos of Sandhills Sentinel Publisher Bj Goodridge.

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