Calgary police are conducting a criminal investigation into the delivery and mislabelling of what’s believed to be picric acid, a potentially volatile substance found in a southeast industrial yard.
Emergency officials provided the latest information to the media on Thursday afternoon, also noting that due to the removal of the substance to a safer location, the evacuation area has been lifted and the municipal emergency plan is now deactivated.
In a media release just after midnight Thursday, the City had said that the transportation of the hazardous material was complete and the controlled detonations would continue through Thursday at an undisclosed, secure location.
Calgary Police Service Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien said that they were constantly assessing their tactics throughout the ordeal, trying hard to minimize community disruption, while also ensuring the materials were handled safely.
“All procedures, including transportation, were conducted using industry standards, safety protocols, and they were carried out with precision,” O’Brien said.
“The safe disposal site is a secured facility, and because it’s related to our tactical operations, we’re not going to disclose the specific details of the exact location, but that is where the detonations are taking place.”
Picric acid is a pale-yellow substance that, when dry, is a powerful explosive. It’s particularly sensitive to heat, shock and friction and can be even more explosive when exposed to copper and lead.
Transport Canada described the acid, also known as 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, as one of the most dangerous chemicals being used in chemical labs. The chemical was one of the materials that caused the devastating 1917 ammunition ship explosion in Halifax, the largest explosion in human history before the invention of nuclear weapons.
“The investigation into the origin of the hazardous materials, as I mentioned yesterday, is still ongoing,” O’Brien said.
“We’re still looking into the possibility of a criminal element, and we’ll share any updates that we have with regard to the criminal investigation when they become available.”
The mislabelling of the contents and the delivery of the acid are all part of the investigation, he said. O’Brien said there’s no timeline on the investigation. CPS said that it’s believed a local moving company had been contracted to dispose of several substances that were mislabelled before transport. The materials then sat for about 10 days. When the package was opened, the actual contents were discovered.
O’Brien said that more details on how the materials were transported and the detonation process would become public at a later date.
He thanked the various agencies, both public and private, and from other municipalities, that came together with expertise on how to handle the materials appropriately.
Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Sue Henry also thanked those affected.
“We would like to sincerely thank Calgarians and businesses for their patience and cooperation during this response,” she said.
