Mystery barrel prompts brief road closing in Lima

 LIMA -- A mysterious barrel found in the middle of Charles Street this morning caused authorities to shut down the road for a period of time Tuesday morning.

The Lima Fire Department was called to Charles Street between Market and High streets, adjacent to the campus of St. Rita’s Medical Center, around 8 a.m. on a report of a barrel in the road containing an unknown liquid.

Russ Decker, director of the Allen County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said it appeared the barrel fell off the back of a truck. A field test concluded the barrel contained an unknown base liquid. Decker said an environmental contractor was called to dispose of the barrel and its contents.

Charles Street was closed for a brief period while emergency crews worked to determine what was in the barrel.