Explosive, radioactive substances at late chemist’s home bring bomb squad to Lexington

A highly explosive chemical, radioactive substances and more hazardous materials found at a late chemist’s house in Lexington brought out the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad for a complex removal Monday, officials said.

A hazmat team and an FBI bomb technican were also part of the response prompted by a clean-out of a home on Longfellow Road, state and local fire officials said Tuesday. Lexington fire officials called in the help after finding dozens of bottles of powders, liquids and solids, including the highly explosive chemical picric acid and fire hazards.

Police and firefighters secured the area around the home while hazmat and bomb technicians entered and carefully searched it, organizing the materials and removing them to a truck filled with sand over about seven hours. Officials said that an ambulance and firefighters with a charged hose were on standby, just in case.

“These materials could not be left in place and had to be carefully and methodically removed for safe disposal. Our priority at every step was the safety of community residents and our first responders,” Lexington Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh said in a statement.

Read more: NBC 10 Boston