Part of Duke Street in the City of Alexandria in Virginia closed for several hours Monday after a white powdery substance spilled on the thoroughfare’s westbound lanes.
The Alexandria Fire Department responded to a hazardous materials call on the 5300 block of Duke Street shortly after 8 a.m.
A test of the powder revealed it to be caustic in nature but did not identify it, the department said.
“We still are not sure what the substance is,” spokeswoman Taylor King told WTOP.
A contractor arrived at the scene at 2 p.m. and estimated a two-hour cleanup time, King said.
Westbound Duke Street was closed between S. Pickett Street and N. Paxton Street, and reopened to traffic in both directions after 5 p.m.
The source of the spill remains under investigation.
Here is a map of the area:
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