NH Register article about this --
NEW HAVEN >> City firefighters called for state environmental officials to respond after several chemical drums were discovered near Springside Avenue early Thursday afternoon but they are not believed to be dangerous.

Fire crews found eight 55-gallon drums in the 100 block of Springside Avenue, south of Common Ground High School, around 12:15 p.m. after someone called to report them.

Most of the drums were empty but one was found to contain what appears to be waste oil, Fire Department Operations Chief Matthew Marcarelli said in a phone interview later Thursday.

Some of the drums were labeled as containing “liquid alkaline detergent” but Marcarelli said he believes the drums had been repurposed and didn’t contain that material Thursday.

Police reportedly shut down Springside at Wintergreen Avenue while firefighters checked the drums. Several New Haven fire units responded to the scene, including a hazmat crew, but firefighters were told to stay away from the drums after the liquid was found. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was asked to respond to the scene.

Marcarelli said the area has since reopened and there is no danger to the public. He said there were no injuries and it did not appear any of the liquid in the drum had gotten out.

He said the barrels were most likely there as a result of careless dumping.