Rocky Top, Tenn. — The EPA has joined a state investigation into the discovery of thousands of barrels of car wash soap being stored at a property in Rocky Top.
Some of the barrels have leaked into a nearby creek and onto other property west of Norris Dam.
Authorities said it appears a man had been storing the barrels out in the open.
State and local law enforcement descended on the property Friday--- launching a drone to get a better sense of the scope of the scene.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said no criminal charges are expected, but there may be civil penalties.
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Authorities in Anderson County responded to a HAZMAT situation in Rocky Top Friday evening.
According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Dean Flener, officials were called out to a property where thousands of barrels of carwash soap were being stored.
Flener said some of the barrels were leaking unknown chemicals into a creek and onto another nearby property.
Anderson County EMA, Hepaco, TDEC and the Anderson County Sheriff's Office were on the scene to clean up the chemicals and investigate.
TEMA said an investigator from Atlanta will be sent to Rocky Top on Monday, but said the Anderson County EMA didn't indicate what agency the investigator represented.