The smell of burning rubber coming through a vent above the customer service desk at Big Y supermarket led to the store being evacuated Wednesday morning, just before the lunchtime rush.
Assistant Fire Chief Michael Eheman said about 40 workers and customers left the building and were standing outside when firefighters arrived at
11:21 a.m.
Firefighters closed off the entrance to the parking lot and investigated, finding that a rubber belt on the rooftop heating system had malfunctioned.
There was no fire and there were no injuries.
The store reopened at about 11:45 a.m.
It was the second such call of the day.
At about 9:15 a.m., students were cleared from the Head Start school on Howard Avenue after officials there reported a smell of gas inside the school.
Firefighters and Yankeegas officials used air meters, which showed the air was fine. Students returned to school at about 9:45 a.m.
