UPDATE: Authorities Detonate Volatile Materials Found in San Mateo Home

The San Mateo County bomb squad detonated the volatile materials Wednesday night.

Posted by Laura Dudnick (Editor), December 20, 2012 at 03:03 am

Bomb squad officials detonated "volatile materials" found in a San Mateo home Wednesday night, prompting a loud explosion that could be heard throughout the city.

San Mateo police responded to a report at about 4:30 p.m. of materials that were found in a home in the 400 block of Parrott Drive that were "highly volatile and not stable to move without precautions against [a] potential explosion," San Mateo Police Sgt. Dave Norris said.

The San Mateo Police Department and Fire Department then began evacuating nearby homes while awaiting the arrival of the county bomb squad, according to Norris.

A Rapid Notify phone alert was issued to the immediate residential area advising residents of the ongoing incident, and echoed through the Police Community Alert System to more than 13,000 subscribers citywide.

The alert warned of an impending explosion as the San Mateo County bomb squad "rendered the material safe" by detonating it, Norris said.

The materials were disposed by controlled, intentional detonation. Although the explosion was very loud, no injuries were reported.

The situation was isolated and there was no immediate danger to the community.

SAFETY TIPS:

If you notice something out of place that you can't readily identify - a suspicious object, odor, spilled or leaking liquid or powder, etc. - it's best to treat it as a hazardous substance until proven otherwise.
Call Public Safety (Police/Fire Departments) immediately via 911 or the emergency dispatch phone number programmed into your mobile phone.
SMPD Dispatch - 650-522-7700
Describe the hazardous substance and its location.
In the case of a suspicious object, powder, or liquid - Do not disturb it, touch it, or sniff it Do not smoke or strike a light near it, and extinguish any open flames nearby Turn off electrical equipment near it (especially fans) Secure or block off the area around it. Keep others away until Public Safety Authorities arrive.