Explosive chemical found in Berkeley home forces evacuations

Hazardous materials found at Berkeley home

The discovery of decades-old picric acid used in an old photography lab at a home in the 800 block of Colusa Avenue prompted Berkeley officials to evacuate the home and adjacent houses, and order a shelter in place for the neighborhood on Monday morning.

BERKELEY, Calif. - Hazardous materials discovered inside a Berkeley home forced the evacuation of residents and nearby homes, authorities said.

What was the chemical?

What we know:

Decades-old picric acid was found Friday in a old photography lab located in the basement of a home in the 800 block of Colusa Avenue, according to Berkeley police. Picric acid is highly volatile and is no longer commonly used.

About two liters of the chemical were discovered. Officials said the substance is highly flammable and toxic and is sensitive to heat and movement, Berkeley police spokesperson Officer Byron White said.

Explosive risk

Dig deeper:

Fire and police officials said the amount of picric acid found had the explosive potential of a pipe bomb if activated. The only safe way to dispose of the chemical is through controlled detonation, White said.

Firefighters evacuated residents from the home, and a bomb squad was called to the scene to determine how to safely remove the chemicals.

Evacuations and shelter-in-place

Local perspective:

On Monday, residents in adjacent homes were evacuated, and authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding neighborhood.

A bomb squad team later transported the picric acid off-site for disposal at the Berkeley Marina.

Road Closures

Why you should care:

Several streets were closed Monday morning, including Colusa Avenue between San Lorenzo Avenue and San Pedro Avenue; Capistrano Avenue between Ensenada Avenue and Laurel Lane; Tacoma Avenue between Ensenada Avenue and Laurel Lane; and westbound San Pedro Avenue between Laurel Lane and Colusa Avenue

Ongoing hazmat operations

The shelter-in-place order along Colusa Avenue remained in effect Monday as hazardous materials teams worked to remove additional chemicals from the home.