Bombs away: Authorities announce plans to burn Escondido home filled with explosives

[Liberty Belle]

Source: East County Magazine

County declared disaster area; top disaster official seeks state disaster declaration--a move that would waive environmental laws

By Miriam Raftery

November 30, 2010 (Escondido) – An Escondido home described by a prosecutor as a “bomb factory” will be burned down to destroy the largest cache of homemade explosives ever found on U.S. soil.

Protective barriers will first be erected around the property at 1954 Via Scott. Some neighbors have been advised to evacuate and remove all furnishings and belongings, while others have been told to shelter in place. Weather permitting, destruction of the home is expected to occur between December 8 and 10.

“There is no viable method to render the property safe,” San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore told concerned area residents at a community meeting this evening, held in San Marcos. Representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson, County Hazmat, County Health, and local fire authorities were also present.

<snip>


With County Supervisors out of session due to the holidays, the Director of Emergency Services exerted his authority today and declared a state of emergency for San Diego County. Walt Ekard, Chief Administrative Officer for the County, signed a proclamation today requesting that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaim a state emergency--a move that would allow suspension of environmental laws for destruction of the home and any toxins that may be released

Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/4906

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This is really scary for people around here.

I am seeking experts on toxins, explosives, and health issues to interview. How dangerous are the toxins to the public? If they're waiving environmental laws, what will that mean to public health and safety? Should people with asthma or chemical sensitivities leave the area?

How far will this stuff carry? How far away is far enough to be safe?

What might the "unknown" materials that authorities seem so concerned about be?

Will this site ever be safe? What about the homes nearby? Will their properties be contaminated long-term?

What is the recourse for the homeowner? (This was a rental property and the renter was the alleged bomb-maker.)

How about neighbors whose properties are damaged? what are their legal remedies? Does the owner of the property bear any responsibility here? Will neighbors' insurance policies cover damage due to police action?

Please email responses to [e-mail], or post here. Thanks.

[MiniMe]

1. And who pays for the neighbors who have to evacuate and remove

their belongings? How long will they have to stay away?

It sounds like they have no idea what will happen when they burn the house.

[Liberty Belle]

3. Excellent question. It can costs thousands and thousands just to move stuff

out, and then where do you store a houseful of furniture temporarily?

[denbot]

2. I wonder if they suspect biologicals on the property.

Most chemicals can be neutralized, or at least removed. Why burn what you can cart off?

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Liberty Belle]

5. Wow. Great question. I'll ask officials about that. However

the reason given is that some of the compounds are very unstable; they were afraid it could blow up investigators.

The inside of the house was very cluttered, guy sounds like a hoarder, and supposedly they feared they might not find everything as there were powders spilled on floors, etc., and possible booby traps were feared.

[Poll_Blind]

6. Notice how quick they want to get it over with, even when they're not entirely sure WHAT is in the..

...house?

That's a sign that, if I lived in the neighborhood, I would take to mean I must to everything to call the Federal governemnt into this picture so the local "authorities" don't wind up helping everyone within a 20-square mile radius get rare cancers for the next 20 years.

PB

[boppers]

7. This has "DiHydrogen Monoxide panic" written all over it.

Burning HMTD is idiotic (as it reacts to heat), but the chemical compounds created are based on oxygen, and nitrogen, hydrogen... it's C6,H12,N2,O6.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexamethylene_triperoxide_diamine

That being said, since they plan on burning it, along with a lot of other chemicals (house insulation, carpet, roofing), there's no real certainty on what possible compounds may be produced from burning... and no indication that it will be good, or bad.

I just hope they don't dump dihydrogen monoxide on it to put the fire out.

[TheWraith]

8. Is this a reliable news source?

Because I haven't seen it anywhere else, and it sounds like the sort of thing a bigger news source would pick up if it were accurate.

[struggle4progress]

9. 'Bomb factory' house to be destroyed

The house will be burned to dispose of hazardous materials and chemicals
By Kristina Davis, J. Harry Jones and Susan Shroder
Originally published November 30, 2010 at 10:35 a.m., updated November 30, 2010 at 7:58 p.m.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/30/community-meeting-tonight-bomb-factory-house/

ESCONDIDO: Authorities to burn "bomb factory" house
Explosives too pervasive to clean up, sheriff says
By MORGAN COOK - [e-mail] | Posted: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 11:21 pm |
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_f2896617-46fe-5fa1-b168-b1374d962e76.html

Sheriff: Calif. 'bomb factory' will be burned
(AP) – 6 hours ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jUsJxq2KzFFdLthu-ulhLKd6mphg?docId=6e6fc2f306724a92bb98249a1e07c4c7

[Altoid_Cyclist]

10. Hopefully, this won't turn out the way that the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia did.

Different settings I know, but it still sounds like a disaster in the making.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/11/national/main6472296.shtml


(AP) Gerri Bostic lost all her material possessions 25 years ago when police dropped a bomb on her block, killing five children and six adult members of the militant group MOVE and incinerating 61 row homes.

Perhaps her biggest losses were her peace of mind and sense of community.

Her West Philadelphia neighborhood - now nearly vacant and eerily quiet - never recovered from the city's horrific botched attempt to arrest the MOVE members on May 13, 1985. The violent confrontation marked the first time authorities in the United States had dropped a bomb on American citizens.

Today, after spending more than $43 million on redevelopment, the city has two blocks of boarded-up eyesores to show for its efforts. The homes built to replace those lost in the bomb-ignited inferno were so shoddy that officials stopped making repairs and offered buyouts.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/11/national/main6472296.shtml

[lunatica]

11. This entire incident could be made into a movie

It's bizarre and fascinating. I'm glad I caught this follow up to the original story.

I truly hope no other houses are affected.

[Gin]

12. wasn't the wife living there? if so, how dangerous could it be if

she could move around and not set off an explosion...maybe burning it down is the quickest way since the guy was a hoarder.

[lunatica]

14. I think the wife wasn't living with him because he's mentally unstable

[Javaman]

13. Probably is...

I bet there is some very strange deal with some filmmaker to use the explosion in his or her's next film.

But that little detail is conveniently being omitted from the press release. LOL

[thetonka]

15. This is right along my commute in the morning

AND I am working from home tomorrow, to hell with that crap.

Have been hearing stories all morning from people who has first and second hand experiences in that place. If everyone is lucky the best case is it will burn and there will be a small amount of toxic fume exposure, hopefully the wind will not spread it far.

Worst case, and my prediction, is this will go from bad to apocalyptic REALLY fast. That side of the street will be gone, part of the freeway will be totaled, toxic fumes and fallout will ruin that neighborhood and the ones across the freeway for a long time, and probably close the freeway for days or weeks.

Glad I got a new work laptop recently, it's nice and will make working from home so much better. The potential of this is frightening and kinda freaking me out, can you tell?