PEORIA, Ill. — The McDonald’s on Western Ave. was evacuated early Tuesday afternoon due to a carbon dioxide leak from the soda machine that set off alarms within the restaurant.
The incident occurred at 12:35 P.M., and firefighters evacuated the restaurant upon arrival due to possible dangers of elevated levels of carbon dioxide. Battalion Chief Stephen Rada explained the dangers of elevated carbon dioxide levels.
“[Carbon dioxide] replaces the oxygen in the air that we breathe,” said Rada. “It will actually lower the percentage of oxygen in the air that we breathe.”
Peoria Firefighters found the leak using equipment to monitor the air and shut down the equipment responsible. A repair company was contacted to fix the faulty equipment.
McDonald’s was allowed to remain open, according to Rada, because the faulty equipment was isolated to the soda machine.
“We determined that there was a slight leak in the line that goes to a soda machine,” said Rada. “When we shut that off we were certain that we stopped the leak, and we monitored the air for any sort of carbon dioxide.”
There were no injuries reported at the time of the incident.
