County and state officials discovered high levels of mercury spilled in and around a house on Godman Avenue Monday, along with a suspicious package that was thought to contain a bomb.
Monitor readings showed the mercury level at 500 micrograms, said Bill Gosnell, director of Delaware County Emergency Management. A building is considered contaminated at 0.3 micrograms.
A witness said John Haas threw mercury inside and outside his house at 2413 W. Godman Ave., Gosnell said. Officials would not give an exact reason why Haas had spread the mercury.
State police also found a suspicious package in a van behind the house that they thought might contain a bomb.
Delaware County Sheriff George Sheridan, a bomb technician, and other bomb experts used a render-safe procedure to determine that the package was safe. The render-safe procedure uses water to disrupt explosives so they won't detonate, Gosnell said.
The packages, police discovered upon opening, contained personal papers.
Gosnell first discovered the mercury a little after noon.
"I received a call at lunch from Ball Memorial security," Gosnell said.
Security informed him of a patient that had been in contact with mercury.
"There were hot spots on his clothes," Gosnell said.
Gosnell said he called the house and rang the doorbell, but received no answer. While at the door, he looked down and discovered mercury on the front porch, Gosnell said.
Officials said enough mercury was found inside that the cost of cleanup could possibly equal the value of the house.
Police also spent part of the afternoon trying to contact Haas' mother, Ethel Haas, whom lived with Haas at 2413 W. Godman Ave. Haas' mother had placed a protective ordinance against him two days ago. Police became worried about her after they could not contact her by phone.
"All the original phone numbers given to the police by Haas were wrong," Gosnell said.
They were finally able to contact Haas' sister around 8 p.m. and determined his mother was fine.
Workers from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management found mercury on the front porch and in the backyard, Gosnell said.
At 8 p.m., they were finally able to make their way into the house.
During one point in the investigation, homes on the block behind, in front of, and alongside the house were evacuated and Godman Avenue was blocked off to Tillotson Avenue, three blocks away.
Such precautions were taken because of the possibility of a bomb, Gosnell said.
When Sally Garcia arrived home at 8 p.m., she discovered that her house on Celia Avenue, across an alley from Haas' house, had been evacuated.
"I didn't know what to think at first," Garcia said. "When you don't know what's going on and they won't let you in your house, it's pretty scary."
Police would only say there was a hazardous material situation, Garcia said.
Since the mercury was on his property, criminal charges may not be pressed against Haas.
"As far as I know, there are no laws for possessing mercury," Gosnell said. "We are researching to see if any laws have been broken."
Technically, it is the homeowner's responsibility to clean up the spill, Gosnell said.
However, due to the vast amount of mercury, a team may have to decontaminate the house, Gosnell said.
Though it's not certain where Haas got the mercury, many people obtain it by collecting old gas meters and household thermometers, Gosnell said.
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