BROWN DEER, Wisc. — A Pick ‘n Save is set to re-open on Tuesday, April 2 after it was evacuated due to a mercury spill on the property.
According to a press release, testing and air monitoring have been completed to the satisfaction of the North Shore Health Department and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Employees and customers at a Brown Deer Pick ‘n Save had to evacuate the store on Friday, March 29, when hazmat crews identified a mercury spill on the property.
Officials with the North Shore Fire Department (NSFD) said the mercury’s source was a trash bin outside the store, but the substance ended up inside when an employee went to throw out the garbage. The bag was leaking.
“There was a lot on the floor outside when I went to look,” employee Greg Doucette said. “I know there was a bunch in the back room that a few of our employees got on their shoes.”
At the Pick ‘n Save located near N. Green Bay Rd. & W. Brown Deer Rd, NSFD Fire Chief Robert Whitaker told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin paramedics tested 20 store employees for signs of contamination.
He said that only one staff member was found with concerning levels of Mercury. After switching out everything they were wearing that employee is expected to be fine.
Doucette was among those cleared, he said he initially went home after his shift but was asked to return to get tested.
“It’s really crazy I’ve never experienced anything to this extent,” Doucette said, “something new for sure.”
NSFD and partner crews spent hours working with Pick ‘n Save trying to find out the scope of the problem, including testing the air.
As they worked, police barricades stopped would-be customer Larry Gallien from entering the property.
"I didn’t think nothing like that would happen out here," Gallien said before heading elsewhere for groceries.
Whitaker said store leadership is looking through security video to find out how the broken container of mercury ended up in Pick ‘n Save's trash.
After about seven hours on site, NSFD turned the scene over to Pick ‘n Save and a private contractor for further clean-up and testing. The store plans to reopen as soon as possible.
“I hope they can get it straightened out,’ Gallien said. “If they get it straightened out, I’d be willing to come back.”
Additional agencies responding to this incident included the North Shore Health Department, Brown Deer Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and OSHA.
Whitaker said it was too soon to tell Friday if any products in the store were impacted. Food left in shopping carts when customers evacuated will need to be thrown out.
Mercury exposure can cause several symptoms including chest pain or difficulty breathing, stomach, eye, and skin irritation, as well as headaches and exhaustion.
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