Shoppers and employees at the Walmart store in the Harbourview Station shopping center off College Drive in North Suffolk were thrown into the cold for more than an hour on Tuesday after being evacuated because of the odor of gas inside the store.

Emergency workers and gas company employees were called to the scene at about 9:47 a.m. as employees and shoppers evacuated to the parking lot, to the Bed, Bath & Beyond store next door and to other nearby shops.

According to reports, once they were on the scene, officials checked gas-fired fixtures in the deli and then moved to the roof of the store to check out the rooftop HVAC units for any gas leaks.

After an investigation turned up no evidence of a leak, the store was declared safe again at 11:20 a.m., at which time it was reopened for employees and customers.