Bomb disposal experts carry out explosions at two schools

Bomb disposal experts carried out controlled explosions at two schools yesterday after an alert over dangerous science lab chemicals.

Blasts could be heard near St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School in Featherstone and Hemsworth Academy during safety visits by police and army teams.

Wakefield Council said there was no risk to nearby households or buildings from the explosions, carried out after a government safety warning was issued over a chemical called 2,4-DNPH.

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The government advisory science service said the substance could become dangerous if it was not stored correctly and was allowed to dry out.

Controlled explosions have been carried out around the country after schools were asked to check their storage of the chemical.

Wakefield Council said in a statement: “Residents living near to St Wilfrid’s High School in Featherstone and Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy, may have heard a noise resulting from controlled explosions last night.

“As you may have seen on the news, similar controlled explosions have taken place at a number of schools across the country.”

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The police and the army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team were called to these two schools as a precautionary measure to see if a controlled explosion was necessary.

“Controlled explosions were carried last night and the team took measures to minimise the noise. There was no risk to local residents or buildings.”