Bottle containing ‘possible explosive substance’ found inside UCSD lab, detonated by bomb squad

A bottle containing a potentially explosive substance was discovered in a UC San Diego science lab Wednesday evening, prompting the building to be evacuated and bomb-arson specialists to detonate it inside a special containment chamber, officials said.

The substance was diethyl ether — a common solvent used in the lab — that had decomposed into organic peroxides, which are potentially explosive, said university spokesperson Leslie Sepuka.

It was discovered around 6 p.m. in an almost-empty liter bottle inside Pacific Hall, a seven-story building off North Torrey Pines Road near La Jolla Shores Drive. Foul play is not suspected, Sepuka said.

Campus environment health and safety workers responded and requested help from San Diego Fire-Rescue’s hazmat team and bomb squad. The FBI’s bomb squad also responded and the Sheriff Department’s bomb-arson team brought its “total containment vessel,” a large steel chamber mounted on a trailer, said sheriff’s Lt. Scott Roller.

About 50 people were inside the building at the time. Pacific Hall was evacuated and the lab was “cleared of hazards in the immediate area” before the container was removed, Sepuka said. Once it was outside, it was placed into the containment vessel and destroyed.

“They did detonate it and render it safe,” she added.

She said the building was “back to us” around 11:30 p.m. The building was cleared and classes/activities were set to resume Thursday as usual.