Rotting Food To Blame For Light Rail Shut Down

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Buckets of rotting food are being blamed in what was believed to be a hazardous materials situation Monday morning that temporarily shut down a Regional Transit Light Rail station.

Firefighters were called to Regional Transit Light Rail station at 29th and R streets when someone reported finding buckets containing some sort of crystallized chemicals that were releasing a foul odor. Investigators arrived and declared the situation a "Level 2" hazardous materials incident.

The white buckets in question were apparently placed near a fence at the station and were labeled "Churned Butter."

After conducting various tests, firefighters determined the buckets contained food at various stages of decomposition.

"Looking at it you wouldn't be able to tell what it looks like, but with the tests it's gone down that road. So some of it might look a little bit like food, and others might look like different stages of composition of what you would think food would look like," said Capt. Randy Thompson of the Sacramento City Fire Department.

Emergency crews shut down the area for several hours and Light Rail trains bypassed the station. Frustrated passengers were told to walk to the next closest stations for service until they were given the all-clear.

The Light Rail station reopened before 7:30 a.m.