Restaurant closes at lunchtime due to carbon dioxide leak
By Jessica Cohea
Employees at Culver's restaurant in Morris sit in the parking lot Monday afternoon after a carbon dioxide leak resulted in the building's evacuation. (Herald Photo)
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The Culver's restaurant in Morris was to reopen Monday afternoon following a carbon dioxide leak in the building earlier in the day, Morris Fire Chief Tracey Steffes said.
The leak was discovered coming from a tank filled with liquid CO2, the chemical used to give pop its fizz. Culver's employees then attempted to turn off a valve on the tank, as advised by a representative from NuCO2, the company which maintains the tanks.
Due to a cracked valve, however, the leak continued, a Culver's manager said, and it was advised the building be evacuated.
The Morris Fire Department was called to the scene shortly before noon.
Because CO2 displaces oxygen in the air, one employee began to feel light headed, Steffes said. She refused medical treatment at the scene and is reportedly doing well.
Upon arrival, firefighters placed a Positive Pressure Fan in the front door to increase the level of oxygen displaced. They also blocked off the restaurant's parking lot.
Steffes said there were no customers at the restaurant when fire personnel arrived.
"Culver's management did a very good job of getting everybody out (of the building)," Steffes said.
NICOR was called to shut off the gas in the building, as well, to avoid a natural gas leak on top of the CO2 leak.
NuCO2 representatives responded and fixed the leak.
Morris firefighters continued to monitor the level of oxygen in the building. Once the proper level was reached, the building was turned back over to Culver's management, Steffes said.
The Grundy County Health Department was called to Culver's Monday afternoon. The manager at Culver's said the CO2 did not hurt their food and it is safe.
As of about 3:30 p.m. Monday, Culver's employees were awaiting the arrival of a NICOR representative to turn the gas back on to the building. Following that, the restaurant was to be opened again for business.
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