Crystal River ALDI store evacuated due to fire in store's coolers, quickly extinguished by employees
Crystal River Fire Department photos.
Crystal River Fire Department
Crystal River, Florida - At 2:58 p.m. on August 20, 2025, the Crystal River Fire Department was dispatched to the ALDI grocery store, located at 1651 SE U.S. Highway 19 in Crystal River, due a reported fire.
Fire crews from the Crystal River Fire Department arrived at the store, within three minutes, to find the store being evacuated by ALDI staff members and smoke inside the walk-in coolers from a fire that had been knocked down by an ALDI staff member using a fire extinguisher, as another person called 911 to report the fire.
According to the Crystal River Fire Department, the fire was the result of a vendor’s tool being used in the cooler, which had caused a box to catch fire.
Fire crews ensured there was no extension of the fire to other areas, and also used high powered fans to draw out the smoke and extinguishing agent from the coolers to the rear of the building.
The Crystal River Fire Department stresses the importance of having a fire extinguisher on hand, available for use, in the event of a fire - and to also make sure that the fire extinguisher is not expired.
In the event of a fire, call 911.