Northwest Denver Neighborhood Evacuated
Suspected Bomb-Making Chemicals Found In Apartment, Station Reports
POSTED: 2:53 p.m. MDT August 2, 2002
UPDATED: 6:48 p.m. MDT August 2, 2002
DENVER -- A two-block area around 29th Avenue and King Street remained cordoned off Friday evening while police and fire units worked to remove chemicals from an home there.
Authorities were called to the 3500 block of W. 29th Avenue Friday morning after someone reported hearing a neighbor say he was going to "blow up a bunch of people," 7NEWS reported. The neighbor lived in a home that was divided into separate apartments.
Among the chemicals investigators found at the home was ammonium nitrate, commonly used in fertilizer, but also used to manufacture bombs, such as the one that destroyed the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City.
Other chemicals were also found, officials said.
"The materials in combination have the potential of developing a bomb," said Tracy Howard, the Denver manager of safety. "I don't know the quantities so I can't really say (how dangerous it is)."
Because of the danger posed by the chemicals, the area around the home was ordered evacuated.
"It appeared the suspect was stockpiling the chemicals," said Julie Hayden, 7NEWS reporter at the scene.
Police were looking for at least one person who lived at the house.
In addition to police and fire, the bomb squad, the FBI and Denver District Attorney's Office were at the scene Friday afternoon.
The fire department set up a decontamination tent directly in front of the house on 29th Avenue. The FBI set up its own command post around the corner from the Fire Department command post.
At 5 p.m., the Denver hazmat team began moving some of the most volatile chemicals out, Hayden said. A short time later Airtracker7 followed the bomb-disposal truck taking the chemicals to a remote area of Rooney Road in Jefferson County. Peering into the disposal unit, several items could be seen in orange plastic buckets (pictured, left).
Police prepared to execute a search warrant on the house Friday night.
A Red Cross shelter was set up at Brown Elementary School, 2550 Lowell Blvd., for evacuees. A Red Cross spokesman said he expected as many as 150 people at the shelter Friday night.
The neighborhood closure was not expected to be lifted until Saturday morning, officials said.
The discovery shocked neighbors, who huddled on lawns near
police blockades Friday evening.
"This was a safe neighborhood," said Veronica Mota, 42.
"There's no wild parties. Everyone gets along with everyone. We
don't even know now how safe we are anymore."
Authorities were called to the 3500 block of W. 29th Avenue Friday morning after someone reported hearing a neighbor say he was going to "blow up a bunch of people," 7NEWS reported. The neighbor lived in a home that was divided into separate apartments.
Among the chemicals investigators found at the home was ammonium nitrate, commonly used in fertilizer, but also used to manufacture bombs, such as the one that destroyed the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City.
Other chemicals were also found, officials said.
"The materials in combination have the potential of developing a bomb," said Tracy Howard, the Denver manager of safety. "I don't know the quantities so I can't really say (how dangerous it is)."
Because of the danger posed by the chemicals, the area around the home was ordered evacuated.
"It appeared the suspect was stockpiling the chemicals," said Julie Hayden, 7NEWS reporter at the scene.
Police were looking for at least one person who lived at the house.
In addition to police and fire, the bomb squad, the FBI and Denver District Attorney's Office were at the scene Friday afternoon.
The fire department set up a decontamination tent directly in front of the house on 29th Avenue. The FBI set up its own command post around the corner from the Fire Department command post.
At 5 p.m., the Denver hazmat team began moving some of the most volatile chemicals out, Hayden said. A short time later Airtracker7 followed the bomb-disposal truck taking the chemicals to a remote area of Rooney Road in Jefferson County. Peering into the disposal unit, several items could be seen in orange plastic buckets (pictured, left).
Police prepared to execute a search warrant on the house Friday night.
A Red Cross shelter was set up at Brown Elementary School, 2550 Lowell Blvd., for evacuees. A Red Cross spokesman said he expected as many as 150 people at the shelter Friday night.
The neighborhood closure was not expected to be lifted until Saturday morning, officials said.
The discovery shocked neighbors, who huddled on lawns near
police blockades Friday evening.
"This was a safe neighborhood," said Veronica Mota, 42.
"There's no wild parties. Everyone gets along with everyone. We
don't even know now how safe we are anymore."
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
