Denver fire officials say no hazards were found after what had been declared a suspected chemical spill shut down Lincoln Street near Colfax Avenue on Wednesday morning.
Denver police and fire officials announced they’d closed Lincoln around 10:40 a.m. to investigate what they termed a chemical spill in the area of 1500 Lincoln St. Drivers were advised to find alternate routes.
The spill, however, turned out to be a foul odor, coming from a parking lot in the area, said Greg Pixley, a spokesman for the Denver Fire Department.
“There were indications that it could be harmful,” Pixley said.
Firefighters shut down the street as a safety precaution as they used gauges and monitors to check the air quality. Some people were also evacuated from the immediate area.
Around 11:15 a.m., fire officials said the threat from the “chemical release” was reducing, and the response was being downsized.
Just after noon, fire officials tweeted that “no hazards were found, area declared safe.”
Final Update for 1500 Lincoln. No hazards were found, area was declared safe, occupants in area have been approved to return, no injuries were reported, emergency crews are leaving area soon and traffic should be back to normal in a short while.
— Denver Fire Department (@Denver_Fire)
Shutting down the street and evacuating people in the area caused a public “inconvenience,” Pixley said, but the measures were taken to “ensure safety.”
Firefighters were not able to determine exactly what caused the odor or where it was produced.
