Carbon Monoxide Alarm Prompts Evacuations at Trader Joe's and Apartments

A busy commercial and residential building in Hillcrest – including a Trader Joe’s grocery store – was evacuated Friday morning after a carbon monoxide alarm sounded off, officials said.

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) officials evacuated the building in the 1000 block of University Avenue around 9 a.m., including residents in eight apartment units and about 25 people at the grocery store. The apartments sit above the store.

When crews tested the building for carbon monoxide, the results came back positive, the SDFD confirmed, testing at high levels of 25 parts per million.

Officials said the evacuations were precautionary, and no injuries were reported.

Crews were still on scene investigating two hours later ventilating the building and getting rid of the gas. There was no word on when people would be allowed back into the affected areas. San Diego Gas & Electric crews and Hazmat specialists were also called to the scene to assist.

Evacuaees told NBC 7 a carbon monoxide alarm went off around 4 a.m. inside an apartment above the Trader Joe’s.

Resident Randy Eggle called 911 to report the alarm sounding off, and told NBC 7 he's glad he did.

"I'm grateful everybody is alive," said Eggle, adding that he and some neighbors had experienced some minor nausea and dizziness, but nothing more.

Officials said Trader Joe’s had a cleaning company doing the floors overnight and the buffers used for the cleaning job were fueled by propane.

Fire crews believe the propane built up carbon monoxide and once the store turned on its ventilation system, the build-up of carbon monoxide made its way up and through the building, trickling to the apartment above.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), carbon monoxide is “an odorless, colorless gas, which can cause sudden illness and death.” It’s produced any time a fossil fuel is burned, the CDC website states.

SDFD officials said this case is an example of why it is important for homes and buildings to be equipped with a working carbon monoxide detector.