Specialist teams have made significant progress in safely removing chemicals discovered in a house along the A259 in St Leonards on Thursday (20 March), Sussex Police have confirmed.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit successfully removed desensitised hazardous materials from the property and conducted a controlled burn in a skip near the sea wall early Saturday morning (22 March), easing fears in the local community.
The dramatic operation continues today as the EOD team carries out thorough searches to ensure no further explosive material remains in the house.
In an unexpected development, around 500 additional canisters containing unknown but non-explosive chemicals have been found at the scene. These are now subject to scientific testing and assessment by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and national chemical specialists.
Initial EOD assessments revealed large quantities of a substance that may contain explosive elements, prompting scientific experiments to determine its exact nature.
A 28-year-old man has been detained under the Mental Health Act in connection with the incident. At this stage, police do not believe he intended to cause harm to himself or anyone else.
Chief Inspector James Scott, District Commander, said:
“All partners are working hard to resolve the incident as swiftly as possible and allow residents to return to their homes as soon as it is safe.
We appreciate everyone’s support and ongoing patience. We know this has been incredibly disruptive.”
Police have not yet confirmed when the safety cordon will be lifted or when residents can return to their homes, though an update is expected late this afternoon. A decision on the local half marathon is also anticipated around the same time.
Further updates will be issued as soon as they are available.
