Hazardous materials removed from Berkeley home, shelter-in-place lifted

By Tim Fang

A shelter-in-place order issued for a Berkeley neighborhood following the discovery of hazardous materials inside a home has been lifted, officials said Monday afternoon.

According to Berkeley Police, a resident on the 800 block of Colusa Avenue in North Berkeley notified firefighters on Friday about several bottles of hazardous substances in their basement. Police said the bottles were consistent with chemicals found in old photography labs.

Among the materials found by firefighters included picric acid, which officials said is heat sensitive, volatile and toxic.

Police said residents of the home along with immediate neighbors were evacuated.

On Monday, the bomb squad and hazmat crews went to the home to remove the materials. Officials said a shelter-in-place order is in effect for a one-block radius near the intersection of Colusa and Tacoma avenues.

Around 4:30 p.m., police announced the shelter-in-place order was lifted after the material was removed.

“The hazardous condition has been successfully mitigated, and no danger presently exists for this area,” police said.