Candle Wax Leak Causes Smoke in Yankee Candle Store

A leak in a candlemaker at Yankee Candle caused about 60 employees and shoppers to be evacuated for about 30 minutes Friday night.

Smoke filled part of the Richmond Road store at around 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Fire units from Williamsburg and James City County arrived at the scene at around 7:35 p.m. and found wax was leaking from a portable candlemaker onto some of its parts in the Wax Works section of the store, causing smoke but no flames, Williamsburg Battalion Chief Randy Banks said.

Firefighters were able to wheel the 6-foot-long stainless steel candlemaker out of the store and worked to get most of the smoke out of the building.

Yankee Candle’s doors opened less than 45 minutes later at around 8:10 p.m. Doors remained open to help clear the remaining smoke.

Banks said the store suffered no damage.

Yankee Candle Director of Sales and Operation Terry Banez said the store would assess the damage to the candlemaker. The Wax Works area has been temporarily closed off.