Canada: Smell of durian clears shopping mall
According to Richmond Fire Rescue, the mall had to be cleared at around 5 p.m. following reports of what was initially thought to be a gas leak wafting through the 22,000-square-foot shopping centre.
Mall manager Allan Ho said a customer visiting the mall called 911 after noticing a foul smell.
Tim Wilkinson, Deputy Chief of Operations for Richmond Fire Rescue, said after fire crews arrived at the scene they scoured the building to try and locate the source of the smell — which, according to Wilkinson, resembled sweaty sports socks that had been stuffed inside a gym bag for a prolonged period of time — and after ruling out any gas sources finally narrowed it down to the Osaka supermarket selling fresh durian fruit in its produce department.
Apart from having an offending smell, the fruit posed no health concerns and once removed from the store, the air began to clear and shoppers were allowed to return to the mall, Wilkinson said.
In total, the building was vacated for about an hour.
Source: Vancouversun.com
