Hazardous materials prompt evacuation of 46 residents in northeast Edmonton, police say

Cameron MacCuish · CBC News

· Posted: May 06, 2025 6:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The planned removal of hazardous materials by Edmonton Police Service has prompted a voluntary evacuation of astir 50 residents successful northeast Edmonton.

Residents successful the evacuation country person been asked to vacate their homes portion constabulary region chartless chemicals and substances from a townhouse unit successful a analyzable located successful the Homesteader neighbourhood. 

The townhouse analyzable is located connected 50th Street and Hermitage Road.

Insp. Sean Anderson, the lawsuit commandant for EPS, said immoderate materials successful the townhouse could beryllium chemic precursors that tin beryllium utilized successful the manufacturing of explosives.

Anderson said constabulary discovered the chartless chemic substances erstwhile conducting a payment cheque connected a antheral residing successful the townhouse unit connected April 26.

He said the residence has been secured arsenic a transgression country since the incident, and a hazard appraisal determined that determination was nary menace to nationalist information until the substances were removed from the unit.

It's chartless what the occupant's intentions were with the materials, but the chemicals could beryllium related to harvesting precious metals from electronics, said Anderson.

He said the occupant does person a transgression history, but nary charges person been laid yet successful this case, and the antheral has been co-operating with investigators.

On Wednesday, constabulary volition statesman a much thorough hunt of the location and removal of hazardous materials. 

Anderson said the removal process whitethorn present immoderate hazards, and residents who unrecorded wrong enactment of show of the spot person been asked to evacuate until the cognition is complete.

It's chartless however agelong residents volition beryllium distant from their homes, but Ward Dene Coun. Aaron Paquette said residents successful the affected country should program to beryllium distant from their homes for 3 days.

The evacuation is voluntary, but Paquette urged residents to comply with the EPS's directions to vacate the area.

"Please travel the instructions and suggestions to evacuate. This whitethorn beryllium an lawsuit that reaches the worst-case scenario," said Paquette.

In a quality release, EPS said that evacuated residents who bash not person suitable accommodations volition beryllium provided with impermanent lodging and nutrient done the City of Edmonton's Emergency Operations Centre.

Police person asked residents successful the evacuation country to vacate their homes by 9 p.m. Tuesday.

EPS said they volition proceed to measure the nationalist information hazard and supply further updates astir erstwhile it is harmless for evacuated residents to return.