Barrel of acid found in road near West Chicago industrial park

A hazardous materials team from the Hanover Park Fire Department helped identify the contents of barrel found in the middle of the road in an industrial park near West Chicago Thursday evening.

West Chicago Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Tim Leidig said fire crews were called to the intersection of Powis Road and Hawthorn Lane just before 9 p.m. for a report of an obstruction in the road.

Upon arrival, Leidig said firefighters discovered a 55-gallon drum in the road "about seven-eighths full of a liquid giving off a pungent odor."

There were no identifying marks on the barrel and investigators are still trying to determine how the barrel found its way into the middle of the road.

The Hanover Park hazmat crew was called in to assist in the identification of the liquid.

Leidig said a special computer is used to analyze the liquid, which was identified as some type of industrial acid that is used for etching and cleaning concrete.

Only a small amount of the acid escaped the barrel, Leidig said.

Crews cleaned up the spill and traffic in the area was diverted for several hours.

No injuries were reported.