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5h ago

Calgary Lifts Evacuation After Explosive Picric Acid Is Relocated for Safe Disposal

The evacuation ended following the safe relocation of mislabelled picric acid for controlled destruction.

While an evacuation order has been lifted in Calgary Manchester industrial park, Calgary police said that more explosion were expected Thursday as bomb disposal crews worked to destroy some highly volatile chemicals discovered outside a local business.
Investigators check an earth berm after a controlled detonation of explosive materials in the 4700 block of First Street S.W. on August 27, 2025.
Calgary police closed a strip mall while the tactical unit with the help of Calgary firefighters prepare to use controlled detonations to deal with some potentially explosive materials that were wrongly delivered to a business in the 4700 block of First Street S.W. on August 27, 2025.
A Calgary Police Service logo is seen on a vehicle parked at headquarters in Calgary, Alta., April 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Overview

  • City officials said just after midnight that the hazardous materials had been moved to a secure site and the Manchester Industrial evacuation was lifted, with controlled detonations to continue Thursday.
  • Bomb disposal and tactical teams began small, controlled explosions Wednesday at the discovery site because moving the unstable substance was initially too risky.
  • The material was identified as picric acid that had been mislabelled and left for about 10 days, and a moving company had been tasked with disposing of several substances including that package.
  • Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien said picric acid is safe when properly handled but becomes highly explosive when dried or disturbed.
  • Police have opened an investigation into how the chemicals were handled and whether criminal charges are warranted, after earlier no‑fly and transit restrictions and nearby business closures.