Street closed by spill raises public concerns

Local emergency officials say that a chemical spill on a Columbus street that shut down traffic yesterday afternoon was not a hazardous chemical.

City officials announced that all lanes of 25th Street from Central Avenue east to Pennsylvania Street were closed due to a spill at about 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon. And they asked that people avoid the area.

However, the announcement drew questions about the nature and safety of the spilled materials. According to Bartholomew County Emergency Management, the material was non-hazardous. However cars driving through were spreading the material while crews worked to clean it up and keep it out of the storm drains.

The city announced that the street had been reopened at about 10:30 p.m. last night.