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The Lihue Walmart was evacuated Sunday morning and seven people were taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital after shoppers and employees complained of a noxious odor, Kauai County officials said.
Store officials evacuated the building at around 11 a.m. following reports of an unknown odor causing eye and throat irritation.
The odor was confined to the main entrance.
Seven people were transported to the hospital via the Kauai Bus at the request of fire officials, and two additional people reportedly checked themselves into the Wilcox Emergency Room for medical treatment as well, a county spokeswoman said.
No critical injuries were reported.
Kauai Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials crew responded to the scene along with firefighters and rescuers.
KFD’s HAZMAT crew and a representative of the state Department of Health were unable to determine the cause of the odor.
The store was closed but reopened about 2 p.m., a manager said.
