OC Hardware Store Evacuated After Reported Explosion
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A Santa Ana hardware store was evacuated Wednesday after a battery exploded outside the business, authorities said.
Officers responded to the report of an explosion at Orchard Supply Hardware located at 1975 E. 17th Street at 8:59 a.m, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
CBS2's Michelle Gile reports one witness said he heard a hissing sound from a battery device near the exit doors to the store.
"That's all we know at this point, it was some type of battery device that went 'hiss', 'boom', and smoke," said Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.
The customer near the device was not injured.
Officers evacuated the area as bomb squad investigators arrived on scene. Employees were allowed to return to the store following the investigation.
According to a statement released by OSH Wednesday afternoon, a customer may have run over a battery. There was no indication of any pipe bomb, the statement read.
According to Gile, the store is having a liquidation sale and is expected to be closing.
Police were trying to determine of the explosion was related to a disgruntled employee or a union issue.
The store was reopened around noon.
