Starbucks under lockdown during Midtown blast?

(New York - WABC, August 29, 2007) (WABC) -- There are questions about safety and how corporate America responds in a disaster. Case in point: Starbucks and last month's steam pipe explosion.

A lot of people tried to duck inside a Starbucks for safety. But the employees wouldn't let anyone inside, and they refused to let those already there, leave. Tonight, Starbucks defends its policy.

Eyewitness News reporter Phil Lipof has the story.

When Lexington Avenue opened up. Those who were closest say it felt like the world was ending.

One woman, Audra, didn't want to be seen on camera -- but what a story she has to tell. She was feet from the explosion, suffered a minor concussion, and like everyone else began to run.

Audra says it looked and felt just like 9/11 but with one huge difference: on 9/11 all over Lower Manhattan, businesses and offices opened their doors for shelter.

But on this day in July at this Starbucks on 42nd and 6th, Audra and countless others were met by locked doors and employees under order not to open them.

Starbucks tell us they follow the lead of officials in an emergency situation but go on to say, "in times when that guidance may not be available due to rapidly developing situations where details may not be immediately available, Starbucks employees have responded by locking down and securing our store locations to ensure people do not enter or exit the building."

Shaundra Brown was inside that same Starbucks. She couldn't get out to meet up with Audra. Remember the policy: no one in, no one out.

We checked with some other major corporations in that area. They tell us there is no sweeping policy, that each franchise decides what to do in an emergency.

Audra says she did what she needed to do -- get to safety with no help from Starbucks.

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•