A gas leak outside the Giant Eagle supermarket on Center Street in Chardon shut down the busy grocery store Friday morning, with police blocking off the lot and telling people to steer clear while crews worked the scene.
Police advisory and closures
In a public post, the Chardon Police Department said the Giant Eagle parking lot and the store at 351 Center St were closed "until the leak is repaired." Officers asked residents to avoid the area while first responders coordinated with utility crews at the scene. The advisory did not identify which utility company was handling the work or give any estimate on when the store might reopen.
The store and downtown impact
The Giant Eagle at 351 Center St sits right on Chardon’s town square, serving downtown shoppers along with nearby residential neighborhoods. The chain’s listing for the Chardon location confirms the address and normal operating hours for the store, which suggests the closure could ripple into nearby businesses and scheduled deliveries, per Giant Eagle.
What residents should do
Standard gas safety guidance says anyone who smells a sulfur or rotten egg odor or hears a hissing sound should leave the area immediately and call 911 from a safe distance, without using anything that might create a spark. People are urged to wait for emergency responders and trained utility crews to investigate and fix any suspected leak, per APGA.
