Bomb Squad Explodes Acid in Novato After Removing it From Local Lab

NOVATO, CA- A bomb squad detonated a dangerous acid Friday afternoon in Novato, a Novato Fire District spokeswoman said.

Firefighters received a call at noon to report employees of BioMarin Pharmaceutical at 95 Digital Drive found crystallized picric acid on a container on the second floor of a building the company is occupying.

Picric acid is a liquid, but when it dries it crystallizes and can explode, fire spokeswoman Sandy Wargo said. Employees found the crystallized acid on the lid of container.

Wargo said if someone took the lid off, the friction would have caused an explosion. An explosion would have blown out the windows of the room where the acid was found, damaged the room's contents and the roof system above the room.

Employees called 911 as soon as they saw the dried acid and company officials evacuated the building of about 50 people.

A University of California at Berkeley bomb squad took the acid in what was described as a large box with sand inside to Pacheco Pond where the team exploded it on the ground, not in the pond, Wargo said.

Employees discovered the dried acid when they were throwing things away to prepare for the company's move to San Rafael. The acid is used for chemical experiments, Wargo said.

– By Bay City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.