MEXICO – Employees and customers at Wal-Mart on Route 2 in Mexico were evacuated Friday afternoon when a big rig truck crashed into propane cylinders, said police Chief James Theriault.

No one was injured, police said.

The rig, an 18-wheeler, owned by Swift Transport Co. of Phoenix, Ariz., was driven by William Christian, 29, of Millington, Tenn.

Theriault said Christian had stopped at Wal-Mart to make a purchase, then mistook the back way around the store as an exit.

“He was trying to get around the store in back when he hit a storage cage containing propane tanks,” Theriault said.

Christian then parked the tractor-trailer truck atop one of the large yellow posts that had been placed in the ground in front of the propane cage to prevent just such an incident.

Theriault said Mexico firefighters were called to the 1:55 p.m. incident to secure some leaking propane tanks. They also had to sever the yellow post to free the stuck rig.

Because of leaking propane, emergency responders evacuated people from Wal-Mart. They were allowed back inside after 45 minutes.

Damages to the rig’s trailer were estimated at $400; to Wal-Mart, $500.