Lake Elsinore Walmart Evacuated Due To Faulty Water Heater

A malfunctioning water heater forced the evacuation of Walmart in Lake Elsinore Friday night, a fire official has confirmed.

At 7:19 p.m., a report of smoke at the giant retailer located at 31700 Grape Street was received by Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department, according to the fire agency’s spokeswoman Melody Hendrickson.

Three engines, one truck and 14 firefighters were dispatched. Once on scene, the store was evacuated and firefighters discovered a “malfunctioning water heater in the rear half of the building,” Hendrickson said.

No other retailers in the Walmart center were affected, Hendrickson said.

It’s unclear how long the evacuation lasted. No injuries were reported.