Area where foot was found in Yellowstone Park last month is closed for separate issue
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – The area where part of a foot was found inside a shoe at Yellowstone National Park is closed until further notice.
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In a news release Monday afternoon, Yellowstone Park officials report the closure of West Thumb Geyser Basin is due to “hazardous conditions.”
“On Tuesday, Sept. 6, Northwestern Energy staff reported smoke coming out of a small building near the bookstore that houses a solar battery energy storage system at West Thumb Geyser Basin,” the news release says.
Firefighters saw the smoke when they arrived, but there were no flames. The outside of the building was damaged.
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Battery fumes are corrosive and park officials say inhaling them is hazardous. The area will be reopened once the fumes have died down and the batteries are fully discharged.
“The area will continue to be monitored and evaluated by the park structural fire crew and the geyser basin will reopen when it is deemed safe,” officials write.
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The discovery of the shoe last month with a piece of a foot inside remains under investigation. No further information has been released.