TIFFIN, Ohio — Tiffin Police safely disposed of sealed vials containing a potentially dangerous chemical after a local citizen discovered them in an old safe, authorities said Wednesday.
The citizen brought the vials to the police department, unsure of their contents, according to Officer Drew Westenbarger, who led the investigation.
After further examination of the vials, it was determined that they likely contained chloropicrin, a chemical once used in the early 1900s to deter safe crackers. Chloropicrin was also employed as a toxic tear gas during World War I.
Given the hazardous nature of the chemical, Tiffin Police contacted the Toledo bomb squad for assistance. Officers from the unit assessed the vials and confirmed that they likely contained chloropicrin.
The vials were safely transported to a remote location, where the Toledo bomb squad conducted a controlled demolition to neutralize the potential threat.
No injuries or incidents were reported during the operation.
