Liquor store employees called the Tonganoxie Fire Department because they were concerned about what might be in the barrel. When fire department officials arrived Thursday afternoon at the store, which is on U.S. Highway 24-40 on the city’s east side, they were unable to determine what was in the partially filled drum, Capt. John Callaghan said.

Callaghan said he had been told that the barrel had been dropped off near the liquor store Wednesday night. The barrel was between the store and its Dumpster.

Thursday afternoon, firefighters were waiting for the Leavenworth County Household Hazardous Waste Department to pick up the barrel.

Callaghan said the barrel ultimately will be turned over to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which will determine its contents.

Because of the uncertainty of the situation, firefighters requested the liquor store close down, and officials asked employees at the adjoining gasoline station to turn off gasoline pumps.

For more information about the situation, see the June 8 edition of The Mirror.