The San Bernardino Police Department conducted an evacuation operation in several homes before seizing approximately 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, firearms, and manufacturing materials at a residence. The incident took place in the 1400 block of West Evans Street at around 8:30 p.m. last Monday in response to a complaint, as reported by the police department on their Twitter account.

 

Upon arriving at the residence, officers found the fireworks in plain sight, highlighting the severity of the situation. In addition to the fireworks seizure, firearms, manufacturing tools, and barrels of black powder were discovered, suggesting that the residence may have been used as an illegal fireworks manufacturing facility.

 

Due to the substantial amount of explosives present at the scene, assistance was requested from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department bomb squad.

 

Lieutenant Jennifer Kohrell, spokesperson for the San Bernardino Police Department, confirmed the arrest of an individual in connection with the incident, although the suspect's name was not disclosed at this time. Approximately 48 homes surrounding the affected residence were evacuated, with the gymnasium of Arroyo Valley High School serving as a temporary shelter for those affected.

 

To safely transport the seized explosive material, five bomb trailers were utilized on Tuesday.

 

Kohrell warned that it could take 10 to 12 hours before neighbors can return home, as assessments need to be conducted to ensure the area's safety. Furthermore, it is unknown how many homemade fireworks may have been sold from the residence and whether they pose a hazard to the buyers.

 

Anyone with relevant information about this incident is urged to call the San Bernardino Police Department at (909) 394-5742 or report it anonymously on the San Bernardino County Fire Department website.

 

This story was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.