COSTA MESA : Dangerous Chemical Found, Detonated
Firefighters and the bomb squad detonated a small quantity of a dangerous chemical in an open field near Fairview Park on Friday after the substance was found under a sink at a Placentia Avenue ballpoint pen manufacturer, fire officials said.
Costa Mesa firefighters were dispatched to the Hartley Co. at 1987 Placentia Ave. about 8:15 a.m. after receiving a call from a company chemist that a bottle of sodium azide had been found.
The chemical, which appeared to be in a crystallized state, is known to be highly sensitive and explosive, said Capt. Herb Ohde of the Costa Mesa Fire Department.
After evacuating about 75 people from the business and nearby buildings, the bomb squad from the Newport Beach Fire Department removed the bottle and took it to the open field, placed it in a 2-foot-by-2-foot hole, covered it with sandbags and detonated it at 11:27 a.m. without further incident or injury, Ohde said.
Hartley Co. representatives told firefighters that they no longer used the chemical and that the bottle appeared to be about 20 years old.
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