The Delano Campus was doing a routine inventory of chemicals Sept. 18 when a dangerous chemical known as Picric was discovered in the Science and Technology lab on the Timmons campus in Delano, causing an immediate evacuation.
According to the incident report given by the Kern County Fire Department there was approximately six tenths of a gram of the chemical on campus.
The report also stated that the Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) department, environmental health department and KCSO bomb squad were used for identification, removal and disposal of the chemical.
Bakersfield College Director of Marketing and Public Relations Amber Chaing mentioned that the evacuation went smoothly. “Public Safety contacted the Kern County Fire Department who then called the bomb squad and HAZMAT who did a great job of deposing the chemical.”
Chiang also sated that the detonation was done across campus underground. “A three-foot hole was dug, and the chemical was placed inside, and they did the detonation.”
The removal of the chemical did cause a four-hour interruption while it was being removed from the campus, and two classes were canceled due to finding this chemical.
Night classes at 6 p.m. were back to schedule with no problem. No students, faculty nor personnel were hurt during this evacuation.