Kent firefighters and the Kent Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team are currently working with the Washington Department of Ecology to determine what type of chemicals are being carried in the back of a pickup parked next to Kent’s City Hall.

Kent police were first notified of the chemicals by a woman who found them near a dumpster in Kent. Concerned for animals near the dumpster, the woman placed them in the back of her pickup truck and eventually brought them down to the Kent Police Department, parking on the first floor of the three story parking garage next to city hall and the Centennial Building.

After determining that the chemicals could pose a potential hazard to the community and city workers, officers quickly alerted firefighters and requested the Department of Ecology to investigate. The first floor of the parking garage has been cordoned off as a precaution.

Over 50 containers of various sizes have been cataloged by investigators. Most appear to be similar to what would be found in a high school or college chemistry lab. Several of the chemicals have not been identified. None of the chemicals were leaking or creating an environment hazard.

The Department of Ecology plans on removing the chemicals from the scene and disposing of them properly. An investigation into where the chemicals were found and where they may have originated from will also be conducted.