Maricopa firefighters evacuated the Little Caesars restaurant on John Wayne Parkway this afternoon after a report of a gas leak.

The call came in around 3:45 p.m., prompting a response from five Maricopa fire units, according to reporters on the scene. Maricopa fire spokesperson Monica Williams said someone reported smelling gas.

By 3:55 p.m., firefighters in heavy gear were seen entering the pizzeria, located in the Maricopa Fiesta plaza, as temperatures reached 107 degrees under a cloudless sky.

“Due to the location of the business in a commercial plaza, a larger response was prompted as a precautionary measure,” said Williams. “When crews arrived, the shop was evacuated and the adjacent business was started to be evacuated.”

Student Choice High School was minimally impacted. The other adjacent business, a dental office that is currently vacant, was unaffected. Firefighters were not wearing masks while moving in and out of the restaurant, and no one was being treated at the scene. Readings were taken, and they all came back clear, said Williams.

Crews used ventilation fans to help clear the air inside the shop “to provide the employees some piece of mind,” said Williams. By 4:10 p.m., employees were allowed back inside.

Southwest Gas was dispatched to the location in order to look everything over. Maricopa fire has cleared the scene.

David Iversen contributed reporting.