By Tiffany Williams –
LEXINGTON, Mass. — The Lexington Fire Department, Massachusetts Department of Fire Services and the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad carried out a day-long operation to safely remove explosive chemicals and radioactive substances from a Lexington home after hazardous materials were discovered during a property clean-out.
Emergency crews responded early yesterday afternoon to a home at 23 Longfellow Road after a large quantity of unknown chemicals was found inside the residence.
According to officials, firefighters assessed the scene and identified picric acid, a highly explosive chemical, among dozens of bottles containing liquids, powders and solids. Many of the materials were described as old, degraded and unstable, while others were determined to be radioactive.
Officials said there was no indication of criminal activity. The home was unoccupied after its resident, a chemist, had died.
“We found numerous substances within the home that posed a fire or explosive hazard,” said Lexington Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh. “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.”
The Department of Fire Services’ Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Division responded to assist with the operation. Because of the energetic and reactive nature of some of the materials, the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, an FBI special agent bomb technician, the Department of Fire Services Joint Hazard Incident Response Team and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection also responded to the scene.
A Department of Fire Services rehabilitation unit was deployed to support the health and safety of first responders during the approximately seven-hour operation.
With assistance from the Lexington Police Department, firefighters secured the area around the home while EMS crews were staged nearby as a precaution. An engine company remained in position with charged hoselines while specialized teams entered the residence.
Hazardous materials personnel and bomb technicians systematically examined the home and separated the materials according to the hazards they presented.
State Police bomb technicians, wearing specialized personal protective equipment, carefully removed the explosive and unidentified substances from the home and transferred them to a Lexington Department of Public Works truck filled with sand.
Officials said those materials were transported to a remote location and destroyed without incident.
A licensed radiological contractor took custody of the radioactive materials for proper disposal, while a private cleanup company removed the remaining hazardous substances.
Officials said response teams completed the operation and cleared the area at about 8 p.m.
“We see this fact pattern a few times a year,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “It often involves family members who find military ordnance after a veteran passes away. This was a much more complex scenario. It required patience, precision, and a high degree of technical skill.”
“Massachusetts has put decades of planning, training, and funding into our response capabilities for events like this,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “I want to recognize the professionalism of our partners in Lexington throughout this mission, and I want to thank the Hazmat and bomb technicians whose interagency and interdisciplinary teamwork made it a success.”