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Posted: Apr 13, 2019 10:52 AMUpdated: Apr 13, 2019 11:25 AM

Chemical Cancels Operation Clean House in Bartlesville

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Garrett Giles

Operation Clean House closed their operations at the Bartlesville location after a chemical was brought to the event.

Washington County Emergency Management Director Kary Cox said they had to evacuate the area once they identified a chemical they were not prepared to handle. He said the Tulsa Bomb Squad is on their way to assist with the situation.

That is one of the experts that the crews on hand have been talking to. Explosive experts are also trying to help them identify the chemical and how to properly handle it.

Cox also said a man did drop off the chemical that was brought to Operation Clean House. That gentleman called KWON Radio to tell us what the chemical was.

He said it was a box of antique pharmaceutical chemicals that could have dated to the early part of the 20th Century. While there was no concern for some of the poisons that were involved, the man said a bottle of picric acid raised eyebrows.

According to the caller, picric acid is bad when it gets old and crystaline. That cause the picric acid to be unstable. Apparently the picric acid he brought was both old and unstable which was cause for concern by volunteers and local law enforcement.

That caused those handling the situation to push everyone back 10-feet before closing down the operation entirely.

Bartlesville Police Captain Jay Hastings said Adams and Frank Phillips travel is not affected at this time. He did advise that people stay away from the Phillips Parking Lot where the chemical incident occured while the situation is being handled.

We will have more information as it becomes available.

If you were hoping to drop off items today during Operation Clean House, you can go to the Dewey location. Go to the Washington County Barn on Ninth Street off U.S. Highway 75 if you have items to drop off.

Electronics and paper shredding will not be accepted at the Dewey location. Those services were exclusive to the Bartlesville location.


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