Residents near Fire Station 17 in Highlands-Baywood Park may have heard a loud explosion at about 1:10 this afternoon. The explosion, it turns out, involved an “old jar of ether,” according to Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz.
The ether was brought into the Households Hazardous Waste Building on Tower Road. Out of an abundance of caution, officials cordoned off the area called for the San Mateo County bomb squad.
“Old ether can form crystals which can combust upon friction,” Cal Fire officials said.
The bomb squad brought the bucket of ether up the street to dispose of it. Cal Fire posted photos and video of the events on Facebook and Twitter.
