Two people were hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after an apparent chemical spill prompted an evacuation at a Bel Air grocery store, according to the Harford County Fire Department.

Per the department’s statement, dispatch received a call related to a chemical spill, at a Giant Supermarket in Bel Air at 1:34 p.m. Customers reported eye irritation related to the spill.

Upon arriving, members of the county’s volunteer fire department and HAZMAT technicians from Harford County Special Operations Team entered the grocery store to investigate the origin and nature of the chemical leak, as customers self-evacuated from the store. Two customers were transported to a nearby hospital for precautionary evaluation.

The responders cleared the premises at about 4:45 p.m., though they were unable to determine the cause of the chemical leak.

“The safety of our associates and customers is our top priority, and we are working with the fire department to resolve this issue. At this time, we don’t have any additional information to share,” wrote Giant Spokesperson Jon Arons in a statement emailed to The Baltimore Sun.

Have a news tip? Contact Mathew Schumer at mschumer@baltsun.com, 443-890-7423 or @mmmschumer on X.