Mariano's Evacuated After Possible Freon Leak: Authorities

PALATINE, IL — The Mariano's in Palatine was evacuated Wednesday following a possible "Freon leak" in the cooler area at the store, authorities said. No one was injured in the incident, which occurred at about 12:30 p.m., and the evacuation was ordered for "precautionary reasons," Palatine Police Department Commander David Weeks told Patch in an e-mail response. Business "quickly resumed" at the store, Weeks said.

Patch.com reached out to Palatine police after receiving an inquiry from a reader on the site's neighbor's board. The reader reported she was at Mariano's and heard a "very loud explosion" toward the back of the store "followed by what sounded like pressurized air escaping."

"After a couple of minutes, the staff started evacuating and fire trucks started arriving," the reader wrote.

Weeks said the possible leak did cause a noise and a little haze.

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