Originally published by CAPE COD TIMES
FALMOUTH — A hazardous chemical was detonated after being discovered near Falmouth Hospital on Friday.
Falmouth firefighters were called at 1:30 p.m. to meet with the state bomb squad at a parking lot near the hospital, Falmouth Fire Department Deputy Chief Chad Absten, said.
A Joint Hazard Incident Response Team, which includes state HazMat technicians and state police bomb technicians, responded when “some old picric acid” was found, Public Information Officer Jennifer Mieth wrote in an email.
The hazardous material was taken to the town leaf dump where it was detonated, Absten said.
“The bomb squad did end up countercharging the picric acid safely,” Mieth wrote. “It can be very unstable when it gets old.”
Picric acid is a yellow dye used in explosives.
