Groton — Poquonnock Bridge firefighters responding Wednesday morning to the Groton Shoppers Mart Shopping Center on Poquonnock Road for a gas leak at a Chinese restaurant also discovered a Freon leak at a nearby sandwich shop.

Fire Chief Joe Winski said firefighters initially found a gas leak at the Phantasia Restaurant but, while metering the building, also discovered a Freon leak at the Subway restaurant.

The incident was reported at 9:13 a.m.

Winski said as a precaution, surrounding shops were evacuated. The adjacent Big Y supermarket was not evacuated.

Winski said the leak was secured in about 45 minutes. He said crews stayed for an additional hour and a half and used fans to dissipate the gas and Freon.

One person at the nearby Armed Services Recruitment Center became ill from the fumes and was taken to an area hospital as a precaution.

Winski said he summoned fire crews from the Naval Submarine Base, Mystic, Old Mystic, Groton City and New London in case of a serious emergency.

Yankee Gas, representatives from the Ledge Light Health District and Lawrence + Memorial paramedics also responded to the scene.