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Health officials reportedly shut down Massachusetts Dunkin' due to rodent problem

The Hanson Board of Health ordered a Dunkin’ and a Speedway convenience store to stop selling food Wednesday after an inspection uncovered a rodent problem.

HANSON, Mass. — The Hanson Board of Health ordered a Dunkin' and a Speedway convenience store to stop selling food Wednesday after an inspection led to the discovery of a major rodent problem.

Photos obtained by WFXT of the doughnut shop inside the convenience store in Hanson, Massachusetts, inside Speedway, shows rodent droppings on a tray filled with precooked eggs.

An unnamed source told WFXT the Board of Health received a complaint a couple of days ago from a Dunkin' employee who claimed they were forced to sell the contaminated food.

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An independent health inspector followed up with an inspection of the Dunkin’ and Speedway and was said to be “very concerned” about what she found. The source said both establishments were in violation of state and federal food laws.

The independent inspector met with members of the board of health Wednesday at the businesses so the inspector could show the members her concerns.

Within minutes, the board of health immediately shut down the Dunkin’ and ordered Speedway to stop selling food. Health officials also posted signs to make customers aware of the situation.

One health official told WFXT the conditions are some of the worst he’s ever seen. He added the violations were an “endangerment to public health and safety.”

Both Dunkin' and Speedway won’t be allowed to reopen until they each hire pest control and sanitation companies that provide documentation that the conditions are sanitary.

Dunkin', in a statement, said the health and safety of its customers is its top concern. The store inside Speedway, like all of Dunkin's 9,400 U.S. locations, according to Entrepreneur, is an independently owned franchise of the company.

"We have stringent food safety and quality standards that we require all franchisees to comply with, and we take great pride in the food and beverages served to our guests every day," the statement said. "The franchisee who independently owns and operates the restaurant, which is located within a mixed-use building, is addressing the issues noted during the inspection. We also immediately sent one of our certified operations managers to meet with the franchisee and inspect the restaurant with regard to our safety and quality standards.”

Dunkin’ is looking into the original complaint from the employee with the restaurant’s franchise owner.

Speedway is still selling gasoline. The company didn’t return WFXT's request for comment.

The same independent health inspector conducted an inspection at the businesses a few months ago and didn’t find any major violations.