Hundreds flee Costco after rotisserie chicken sets off fire alarms

New Zealand’s first Costco store was crowded during its opening week.
Photo: Staff / Abigail Dougherty

Hundreds of customers were evacuated after a fire alarm was triggered while cooking a rotisserie chicken at Costco, New Zealand’s newest megastore.

Fire and emergency shift manager Josh Pennefather said the oven was opened in the middle of cooking the chicken and the steam set off the fire alarm.

Two fire trucks and a ladder truck were involved in the incident, which occurred before 4 p.m. Sunday.

A video posted on the Costco NZ Fans Facebook page showed hundreds of people limping around the front door.

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Ruby Thompson said she was halfway to the store when the alarm went off.

“I left all my belongings behind and hoped they would still be there when I came back,” she said.

“Opening week. There will be some conflicts.”

Shoppers have been visiting the megastore all week since it opened, with long lines on weekends.

The store opened in a big way on Wednesday morning, with avid fans camping outside the day before and lining up in the first lines.