Overview
- Multiple 911 calls about an unknown irritant prompted crews to respond to the Walmart on Cooper Street after around 4:15 p.m., and emergency teams helped evacuate roughly 24 people showing coughing and throat irritation.
- Nearly 20 people were taken to local hospitals for evaluation, officials described the symptoms as minor and said they could not immediately confirm if anyone required admission.
- HazMat teams, Deptford police and Walmart personnel inspected the store, removed some open food items out of an abundance of caution, and closed the store overnight for cleaning.
- After on-site checks found no ongoing hazard, employees were allowed to reoccupy the store and management planned a reopening around 6 a.m., but the incident’s exact cause remains undetermined.
- Officials are continuing the probe to determine whether the fumes came from mechanical equipment or affected one or more store sections, and the community should watch for updates on cause and any confirmed hospitalizations.