Moments after telling residents that a house chocked full of trash, debris and chemicals poses no immediate threat, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said a controlled burn of the structure is the only safe way to proceed.
The conditions make it unsafe for crews to continue removing chemicals from the home manually or with robots.
“I mention this because the clutter and dispersed presences of volatile chemicals combined with the hot heavy and cumbersome personal protective gear that must be worn by any personnel entering the home, make it a very challenging location to make safe," Greenberg told WHAS11.
Acting on a tip from a citizen last week, police searched the house and found explosive substances, chemicals and other items that pose a danger to firefighters and others who enter the house.
“LMPD, and our partners, are going to do everything we can to keep the community safe. From keeping the location secure, to managing the controlled burn, to assisting in ensuring residents are being kept safe, we will see this process through as quickly and safely as possible. I want to thank the community in advance for their help as we work with them to keep everyone safe,” Police Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel said.
Marc Hibel, 53, who was charged with wonton endangerment, admitted to being in possession of picric acid, what officials called a "primary explosive."
The mayor added: “All of the advice we’ve received is that doing this controlled and monitored and planned burn will incinerate these chemicals at a very high temperature and that is the best path forward."
Nearby residents will be kept abreast of the plans for the controlled burn.
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