Remember the Escondido, California home that police found filled with “crates of grenades, mason jars of white, explosive powder and jugs of volatile chemicals” belonging to accused bankrobber/hoarder George Jakubec? It’s so packed with junk that authorities can’t take the risk of emptying it out by hand, and a robot apparently can’t maneuver inside. So on Wednesday they’re going to torch the place and hope for the best. Meanwhile, Jakubec has pled not guilty and is being held without bail. From the AP:
San Marcos Fire Chief Todd Newman acknowledges it is no small feat: Authorities have never dealt with destroying such a large quantity of dangerous material in the middle of a populated area, bordered by a busy eight-lane freeway…
They have analyzed wind patterns to ensure the smoke will not float over homes beyond the scores that will be evacuated. They have studied how fast the chemicals can become neutralized under heat expected to reach 1800 degrees and estimate that could happen within 30 minutes, which means most of the toxins will not even escape the burning home, Newman said.
The county has installed 18 sensors that will measure the amount of chemicals in the smoke and send the data every two minutes to computers monitored by the fire and hazardous material departments.
Experts also have mapped how far the plume will travel and predict it will not go beyond Interstate 15. They calculate that if there is an explosion, it would probably throw the debris only about 60 feet.
“It certainly would not be a detonation that would level a neighborhood,” Newman said.
Crews are clearing brush, wood fences and other debris that could cause the blaze to spread beyond the property in a region hit by wildfires in recent years. They also are building a 16-foot-high fire-resistant wall with a metal frame between the property and the nearest home, which will be coated with a fire-resistant gel.
Firefighters, who will remain 300 feet away, are placing hose lines in the front and back yards and will have a remote-controlled hose aimed at the nearest neighbor’s home. Ambulances also will be parked nearby.
“Explosive-laden Calif. home to be destroyed” (Thanks, Bob Pescovitz!)