Burris Laboratory School was evacuated this morning at 9 a.m. due to a volatile chemical found inside the building. Students and staff were moved to Ball Gym after a staff member found picric acid in a closet that looked as if it had changed from a liquid form to a crystalized form.
Police were called to the scene at 8:30 a.m. and a biohazard cleanup crew as well as the Delaware County bomb squad was sent to sanitize the area. The bomb squad successfully transported the acid through the window at 12:30 p.m.
Batallion Chief Jim Clevenger said the acid was so volatile that it could have potentially exploded if it were dropped or exposed to the air and they took precautions to ensure parents knew it wasn't a bomb threat or gun issue, after recent violence.
This story will be updated as more information comes available.
Burris evacuated over chemical scare
Students, faculty moved to Ball Gym at 9 a.m.
The Delaware County Bomb Squad lowers solid pieric acid from the second story of Burris Elementary into a bomb-safe trailer. Emergenecy responders arrived at Burris around 9 a.m. after a chemistry teacher found the acid in the school. DN PHOTO ADAM BAUMGARTNER
