Homes Evacuated Again Due To Dangerous Chemicals
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (CBS4) - People living in a Castle Rock neighborhood were temporarily evacuated on Wednesday morning as crews removed dangerous chemicals from a home.
Eight families on Prestwick Way were evacuated while crews removed chemicals from inside a home where they were found last month.
Neighbor Jim Adams, one of those who had to be evacuated told CBS4 "you never know what's behind closed doors."
"You don't like to hear something like that. Being so close to us and not knowing that it was going on I guess is the big bugaboo," Adams said. "It just kind of makes you worried a little bit."
The chemicals were purchased legally but put together made for a dangerous combination.
"With what we removed today, the biggest risk was explosion and fire. And so with that, the precautions that we took were that one: the bomb techs had the ability, that's why they didn't have the big bomb suits on, because if these erupted in fire-- which is what they had the potential of -- is being reactive to snow and humidity, they wanted to be able to drop it and be able to run away," said Castle Rock Fire Chief Art Morales.
The chemicals were detonated at a law enforcement range near Sedalia off Lake Gulch Road shortly after removal from the home. Residents were allowed to return home Wednesday afternoon.
The investigation began after officers discovered chemicals scattered in plain view throughout the home of one of two teenagers who had been arrested for an unrelated reason on Oct. 31.
One of the 16-year-olds from Castle Rock was charged with possession of an explosive or incendiary device and the other was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of a handgun by a juvenile.
Some of the chemicals were initially removed by the Douglas County Bomb Squad last month, then disposed of by a hazardous materials cleanup crew.
The home was also supposed to undergo a hazmat cleaning by a professional company to remove more chemicals. Wednesday's cleanup by authorities involved two of the most dangerous chemicals, the last two of the dangerous substances that were found in the house.
Sources and neighbors say the teen who lives at the home was heavily involved in chemistry. They also said the family owns and operates a lawn maintenance company from the home.
