San Pablo: Most residents allowed back home after discovery of dangerous chemical stockpile

SAN PABLO — The vast majority of residents evacuated from their homes were allowed to return late Thursday night after bomb squad technicians made significant progress removing a massive — and volatile — stockpile of homemade chemicals that was discovered earlier this week.

The residents of all but five houses along Stanton and John avenues were given the green light to return home at about 9 a.m. Friday, said Capt. Chris Toler, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

The move came nearly 30 hours after hundreds of residents were ordered to evacuate when authorities discovered a stockpile of more than 1,000 chemical containers at a house along the 900 block of Stanton Avenue, on the city’s north side. The discovery was made by the brother of a self-proclaimed chemist, one who died earlier this year after having spent decades living at the property.

It prompted a massive cleanup and removal effort, complicated by the volatility of the chemicals involved, and the fact that most of them were poorly stored or not labeled. Some of the chemicals were wrapped in newspapers dating back decades. And many were exceptionally explosive — being either water-, air-, light- or motion-sensitive, Toler said.

On Friday morning, Toler said that crews had processed and removed about 90% of the chemical containers on the property.

The remaining houses under evacuation are located directly adjacent to the house. It remains unclear when they will be allowed to return home.

Toler thanked people living in the neighborhood for their patience, and asked that others not living in the neighborhood avoid the area while bomb squad technicians continue working to remove the remaining cache of chemicals.

“We’re doing this all in an effort to keep them safe,” Toler said.