AMESBURY, MASS. (WHDH) - An old booby-trapped safe is being blamed for a hazardous materials situation in Amesbury on Friday.
Firefighters responded to the Trades Mill Co-op building on Chestnut Street around 4 p.m. after the new owner tried to open an old safe, left behind by a previous owner, that was booby-trapped with CS gas, according to a release issued by Chief Kenneth Berkenbush.
The owner of the building told emergency crews that when they opened the safe, a vial of suspected CS gas fell to the ground but remained intact.
CS gas is similar to tear gas and is an irritant that is not generally poisonous, Berkenbush said.
The building was temporarily evacuated. No one was injured.
A state hazardous materials response team responded to the scene and is working to remove the vial from the building.
The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad will then be detonating the vial in a safe location, according to the release.
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