UPDATE:

NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) – Federal officers determined that the vials found in downtown Natchez on Thursday were part of a test kit to test for the presence of chemicals.

The Natchez Democrat reported the officers think the vials are filled with mostly charcoal. If it was a test kit, it would have a small amount of the chemical in it. Because of how old it is, the chemical is likely inactive. The kits were available from the 1920s to the 1940s.

All roads have reopened after the chemical vials caused closures on Thursday.

NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) – Chemical vials discovered at the Historic Natchez Foundation led to evacuations and street closures in downtown Natchez.

The Natchez Democrat reported someone donated items to the foundation “quite a while ago.” Staff were inventorying the items when vials of some kind of chemicals were found. When they looked up the information on the vials, they discovered the chemical was once used in chemical warfare.

Natchez police closed the 100 block of Commerce Street between State and Main and Main Street from South Union to Commerce Street.

According to the newspaper, police contacted the Department of Homeland Security, which is sending laboratory personnel to test the chemicals.