The El Paso Fire Department said there are still a lot of unanswered questions concerning a potentially hazardous chemical substance found in South-Central El Paso.

The unidentified chemicals forced the shutdown of the gateway along I-10 and Reynolds and put people staying in nearby motels on alert.

The chemicals were discovered Thursday afternoon in the parking lot of a Motel 8, directly across from other businesses.

The fire department quickly responded, taking every precaution necessary to keep the public safe and closing several streets in that area.

"At first we thought it was a robbery, maybe somebody was murdered. We didn't know. We were terrified," said Pam Sheehan, from Midland, who was staying at the Motel 8 when everything happened. Sheehan said motel officials were telling everyone to just stay in their rooms.

Two five-gallon containers were found with an unknown chemical, and until hazmat crews were able to identify it they were taking every precaution necessary.

"I came out to get some stuff out of my car, and I was told I could not come outside," said Oleta Pierce, who was also staying at the motel.

Fire officials said they have to treat situations like this as worst-case scenarios, especially after the initial companies at the scene determined it to be a hazardous material incident. They believe the situation could have been dangerous if not handled correctly.

"There was some concern that it possibly could be some kind of nerve agent by initial reports that we got," said Deputy Assisstant Chief Mike Pritchard.

Hazmat crews suited up in chemical gear to get a closer look, using equipment to help them pinpoint the liquid. They determined it was not as dangerous as originally thought but could still pose a threat.

"It was a photographic solution, slightly acidic, can be irritant to lungs if it's inhaled directly," said Pritchard.

Three firefighters, along with a motel maintenance worker, were taken to an area hospital for observation. The solution was then packed into special containers that were taken to environmental services for closer study.

The big question for fire officials is where the chemicals came from, which is something they are now investigating.