Granada Hills Vons kept doors open for hours after customer died in bakery aisle, workers say
Granada Hills Vons kept open after customer dies in aisles, employees say
Employees at a Granada Hills Vons supermarket allege that managers kept the store open for four hours after a customer died of a medical emergency in an aisle, instructing workers to block the body from view while customers continued to shop around it.
LOS ANGELES - A Vons supermarket in the San Fernando Valley is facing intense public backlash after employees revealed that store management chose to keep the business open for hours following the death of a customer in the bakery aisle.
What we know:
On July 5, a customer suffered a deadly medical emergency inside the Vons grocery store located in Granada Hills. Following the tragic event, employees report they were instructed by management to block the customer's body using shopping carts and umbrellas, so the store could remain open for business.
The customer's body allegedly remained in the public area of the store for four hours while shoppers continued to frequent the aisles and the victim's grieving family waited nearby.
The body was eventually removed from the store after a mortuary service arrived.
What we don't know:
It's unclear why local emergency services or law enforcement did not intervene to close off the scene, or if the store was under any legal obligation to halt operations while waiting for a mortuary or coroner's vehicle.
It's unknown whether Albertsons, the parent company of Vons, has any existing, formal workplace safety or emergency management policies regarding active deaths on their retail properties.
What they're saying:
In a brief statement, Vons parent company Albertsons stated that it was "saddened by the tragic situation" but declined further comment.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Los Angeles Fire Department and employee accounts of the incident posted on social media.