Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue was dispatched at 12:50 a.m. Friday to the BP Kwik Mart,136 West Scott St., for a suspicious substance in a garbage can.
Fond du Lac Police believe the substance is related to manufacturing meth, but it will be further investigated, according to Lt. Tony Hahn.
The incident originated when a person was searching the garbage receptacle for aluminum cans and noticed what he described as a white powder on a plastic bottle. Soon thereafter, the person developed a burning sensation in his eyes and face area.
City police responded and called for assistance from Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue for help in identification of the substance. Upon arrival, the engine company noticed a white vapor coming from the receptacle and called for the Fond du Lac Hazardous Materials Team.
The Hazmat team and Fond du Lac Police Department used a coordinated effort to remove the unknown chemical which was contained in a 2-liter plastic bottle from the receptacle, utilizing the police department’s remote controlled robotic device. The unknown chemical was placed in a safe location, along with other suspicious contents of the receptacle, which were then turned over to police and state Department of Criminal Investigation for further investigation.
The properties and origin of the chemical are currently under investigation by police and criminal investigators. Scott Street and Military Road were shut down for a few hours during the incident.