(La Porte, IN) - The Kroger in La Porte has reopened following a mice infestation, as the La Porte County Health Department lifted its shutdown order late in the afternoon Thursday.

 

Health Department Attorney Shaw Friedman said it appears the ongoing problem with mice was due to a lack of communication at the local store management level. Once news reached the corporate level, Friedman said an army of people was sent in to clean the store and take other corrective measures.

 

“It appears there was a local Kroger’s manager who was not responsive to repeated requests by the health department for several months for corrective action,” he said.

 

Friedman said another inspection Thursday afternoon found the store was now in compliance with the previously cited violations, which included rodent droppings in various places including the deli.

 

The doors at Kroger opened back up around 4 p.m.

 

“Once Kroger corporate offices became involved, there was immediate action taken to remedy the problem,” he said.

 

According to health department reports, there were holes chewed into food packages like the plastic wrapper of a mozzarella cheese ball during the infestation, along with droppings left in areas like shelves containing various foods and candy.