Members of the Fire Department's hazardous materials response team and other firefighters remained on-scene as of 8:45 a.m. trying to determine what's inside eight five-gallon containers that seem to have been left beside the street in the 200-block of Puuhale Road in Kalihi.

Fire Capt. Terry Seelig said the lid was removed from one of the containers that appears to contain a black, oily, gooey substance — possibly an abandoned waste product.

"We're trying to identify it as best we can to determine how it should be disposed of properly," Seelig said.

Employees of area businesses said the containers have been there for two weeks or longer in an industrial area that does not have any residences near by.

"We haven't evacuated anyone and the streets are open through the area," Seelig said.

The fire crews were sent to the area prior to 8 a.m.