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Neighborhood evacuated amid fireworks raid
Around 40 homes in a San Bernardino neighborhood are evacuated Tuesday after police raided a suspected illegal fireworks factory.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Around 48 homes in a San Bernardino neighborhood are evacuated Tuesday after 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, multiple firearms, and several kegs of powder were found in a home suspected of operating as an illegal fireworks factory, according to police.
Investigators believe illegal fireworks were being manufactured in the home located in the 1400 block of West Evans Street and that it was also operating as a makeshift store.
Neighbors told FOX 11 a large cache of fireworks was being sold out of a tent in front of the home including mortars and pipe-style aerials.
One resident said there was a constant line of cars driving by the house.
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San Bernardino residents relieved after fireworks safely seized
With accidental explosions at many residents' minds, families in San Bernardino breathed a collective sigh of relief after law enforcement safely confiscated illegal fireworks.
"That's extremely dangerous, as we've seen in the recent past with neighboring cities and agencies, these types of locations can explode," said Lt. Jennifer Kohrell with the San Bernardino Police Department.
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It brings to mind the massive fireworks explosion that rocked an Ontario neighborhood in March 2021, killing two people and causing over $3 million in damage.
Three months later in June, an unexpected explosion of confiscated fireworks by LAPD's bomb squad was felt for blocks and caused millions in damages.
The fireworks here in San Bernardino are being removed in small batches from the house and neighborhood and being carried out individual explosive containers, pulled in trucks.
Residents who evacuated can go to the temporary shelter that has been set up at Arroyo Valley High School.
FOX 11 spoke with a Vietnam vet who said he knows plenty about dangerous explosives.
"It doesn't take much, the wrong frequency, drop it, whatever, and then what? It's right here in the house, what kind of idiot does that crap!"