A hazardous materials incident in Chillicothe led to a voluntary neighborhood evacuation Wednesday afternoon after a chemical reaction occurred while a resident was attempting to dispose of waste.
According to the Chillicothe Police Department, detectives were contacted around 4:29 p.m. by the Missouri State Fire Marshal regarding volatile flammable material at a residence in the 1500 block of Maple Street. The resident reportedly experienced an unexpected chemical reaction and immediately contacted the Chillicothe Fire Department.
As a safety precaution, officers and emergency personnel conducted a voluntary evacuation of nearby residents while the situation was assessed. A hazardous materials disposal expert later arrived on scene and safely removed the material for disposal. Police were assisted by the Chillicothe Fire Department and Street Department, which provided barricades and traffic control.
Elsewhere during the day, Animal Control responded to remove a snake found near the entrance of a residence in the 100 block of East Jackson Street.
The Chillicothe Police Department also handled suspicious vehicle and forgery complaints, along with numerous service calls, business checks, and traffic stops, responding to a total of 72 calls for service.