Sprouts Farmers Market In Waldorf Closed After Refrigerant Leak Triggers Sprinklers

WALDORF, Md. — Multiple fire crews responded early Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, to the Sprouts Farmers Market in Waldorf after smoke filled the store, triggering alarms and evacuations.

Dispatchers received a call around 2:05 a.m. reporting smoke in a back room at the grocery store on Festival Way. First-arriving units confirmed alarms sounding throughout the building and moderate smoke conditions.

Firefighters began laying out hose lines and ventilating the structure while others checked the roof and surrounding exposures. For nearly half an hour, crews searched for the source of the smoke as sprinklers activated inside.

The incident commander later determined the cause to be a refrigerant leak from the store’s cooling system. The malfunction produced smoke-like vapor that activated sprinklers but did not ignite a fire. The Charles County Health Department was contacted, and the store’s manager confirmed the business would remain closed until inspectors could clear it for reopening.

When contacted by phone Wednesday morning, a store employee said the location is closed but may reopen by noon once safety checks are complete.

No injuries were reported, though firefighters conducted accountability checks to ensure all personnel were safe. Crews remained on scene ventilating the building past 3 a.m. before clearing.