Walmart in Deptford, New Jersey, evacuated as hazmat crews respond to store

Hazmat Incident: WOODBURY, New Jersey — Hazmat crews were outside the Walmart on Cooper Street in Woodbury, New Jersey, which was evacuated Tuesday night.The entire super-center was evacuated after Gloucester County officials said they received multiple 911 calls about something in the air irritating both workers and customers."When fire personnel pulled up on scene, they were met with a large number of people, about two dozen, coming outside coughing and being irritated by something," Andrew Halter, the chief of hazmat for Gloucester County, said.

Hazmat Incident Details

Fire response and evacuations

People who were working and shopping said they could smell something in the air, and many people said they could feel it in their throat, describing it as a burning sensation."It got in my throat like a gas smell," Tony Patton, of Deptford, said, "Burning sensation, yes.""I did see a man going into the woods," said Crystal Davison, who is from Mullica Hill.

"He was coughing.

He fell down to the ground."Davidson said she delivers for Walmart and was trying to go in as everyone was coming out."It is nerve-racking because you don't really know what it is," she said.Officials said about 19 people were taken to the hospital for evaluation, and they are still working to find the source.Officials said after assessing the situation, there were no longer any hazards in the store."As of right now, the source of the irritant is still under investigation and nothing has been positively identified yet," Halter said.The store is closed until 6 a.m.

Wednesday so the store can be deep cleaned."Some of their supply may be down during that time because they're going to be discarding some things that were open air," Halter said.

"Such as produce and baked goods and things like that, just out of an abundance of caution."