Staff and shoppers have returned to the Laois Shopping Centre after a fire forced an evacuation this afternoon.
All units of the Portlaoise outlet were evacuated following a fire which is believed to have broken out in Tesco.
Emergency services attended the scene and all of the workers were forced to leave the building.
However, after spending around 45 minutes outside the shopping centre, staff were allowed to re-enter the building around 12.30pm.
It is not clear at this stage how it started or if anyone has been injured.
One of the workers from a different unit in the centre, who did not wish to be named, told LaoisToday how they were all evacuated.
He said: “We were all evacuated just before 12pm and it was scary enough.
“We weren’t sure what had happened at first but we are being told there is a fire in Tesco.”
A spokesperson for Tesco Ireland said: “We’re aware of an incident at our Portlaoise store this afternoon which was attended by the emergency services.
“All colleagues and customers were safely evacuated as a matter of precaution. The store was closed for a short time but has since reopened.
“The safety of our colleagues and customers is our utmost priority.”
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