SALT LAKE CITY -- Some Salt Lake City homes were evacuated and some streets were closed off Wednesday morning after a resident found an old bottle of picric acid.
The acid was discovered near 2000 E Sunnyside Ave.
Jasen Asay of the Salt Lake City Fire Department said the discovery was reported around 11 a.m. and the resident placed the bottle in the snow. The bottle is believed to be about 50 years old.
The discovery forced officials to close the intersection of Sunnyside Ave. and Foothill Blvd. Part of Wakara Way was also blocked for some time.
Police and a bomb squad responded to the scene, and fire officials tweeted shortly before 3 p.m. that the chemical had been properly disposed of and that roads were open again and residents were returning to their homes.
Picric acid has been used primarily as an explosive, but has also been used as a yellow dye and as an antiseptic.
