The Albert Heijn supermarket on Boterhoek in Best was evacuated on Saturday morning after problems with the cooling installation. Gas had leaked.
According to a 112 correspondent, there was a smoke-like smoke in the store for a short time. The staff immediately evacuated the case after the problems were discovered. The fire brigade and a mechanic of the cooling installation were called in to solve the problems.
Tetrafluorethaan
Around ten thirty in the morning it was clear what kind of refrigerant gas it was: tetrafluoroethane. “This gas expels oxygen and therefore has a suffocating effect,” explained a spokesperson for the fire service. “That is why an ambulance was called as a preventive measure.”
Four people are said to have inhaled the gas, but to be sure, all the personnel present were checked by paramedics. No one appeared to have any health problems.
‘relatively low concentration’
The leak was closed around 11 a.m. A hazardous substances advisor then investigated the spread of the gas in the store. When this was over, the fire brigade ventilated the building.
A total of about 35 kilograms of the refrigerant gas was released. According to the fire service, this is ‘a relatively low concentration’ in the supermarket. “This low concentration does not cause any health damage.”
Research
After coordination between the hazardous substances advisor and the management of the supermarket, the case was handed over to the supermarket by the fire service. The management of Albert Heijn was advised to have the impact of the gas on the food examined by an expert before the store is opened again.
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