Freon leak from a damaged refrigerator forces Sack N Save in Hilo to temporarily close

No injuries were reported after a grocery store in Hilo was evacuated due to a freon leak Tuesday afternoon.

Hawai‘i Fire Department responded to the hazmat situation at Sack N Save, located at 250 Kinoole St., at approximately 3:30 p.m., after receiving reports of unknown white smoke originating from a machine room in the back of the store, spreading out into the store floor.

Fire crews as well as a Hazmat company arrived on scene and found the unknown haze/smoke but no signs of heat or fire. The store was evacuated and staff was accounted for.

According to Hawai‘i Fire officials, an air sampling and monitoring identified the smoke as freon gas escaping from a damaged refrigerator system compressor.

After the emergency was resolved, the store remained closed and is scheduled to reopen Wednesday morning.