Neighborhood shelters in place after smoking barrel found at SLO County gas station
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Atascadero residents were ordered to shelter in place Sunday afternoon after a smoking barrel of hazardous waste was found at a Circle K gas station.
Atascadero Fire and Emergency Services responded to the report of hazardous waste at around 2:50 p.m., the agency said in a news release.
Firefighters found a hazardous waste barrel outside the Circle K at 6930 Morro Road that produced light occasional smoke.
A store employee nearby reported hearing “popping and crackling” prior to the fire department’s arrival, the agency said.
The fire department, Atascadero Police Department and Atascadero Public Works isolated the area for a safe distance and shut down a portion of Atascadero Avenue, the release said. Nearby residents in the neighborhood were notified to shelter in place as the agencies investigated the barrel.
According to the release, Cal Fire’s hazardous materials response team worked with the fire department to identify the barrel’s contents and determined no active leaks, releases or spills were present, meaning the scene was determined to be safe for the general public.
The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 5:20 p.m., the release said. No injuries were reported.
Investigators found the barrel had a couple gallons of water with trace amounts of a “solvent-like material” — less than .05%, Paso Robles Fire Department Battalion Chief Matthew Miranda told The Tribune in an email.
The cap of the barrel went missing and someone appeared to have placed trash into the barrel, Miranda said, which likely included an item with a small battery.
Other barrels found at the site were closed and empty, Miranda said. The barrels were at the area prior to construction of the gas station with an unknown purpose for why they were still stored there. The barrels have since been removed, Miranda said.
This story was originally published September 2, 2024 at 9:53 AM.
