KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Fire Department said nine people were taken to the hospital after a gas leak at a Sam's Club in Northeast Knoxville.
According to Mark Wilbanks with KFD, the building on Knoxville Center Drive was evacuated after a 911 call came in around 8 a.m. that several employees were sick inside the building.
When KFD arrived, crews learned several people had become nauseous and determined they were showing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Managers told crews that an HVAC unit on the roof had recently been worked on. Knoxville Utilities Board and KFD crews confirmed the roof unit was malfunctioning and worked with management to secure the unit's gas and air out of the building.
A total of 43 employees were in the building at the time of the call. A subcontractor was also doing remodeling work on the building but KFD said they weren't working on the HVAC unit.
KFD said AMR took nine people to area hospitals for medical evaluation.
As of 10:40 a.m., KFD said the building was deemed safe and believed Sam's would reopen within the hour.