City School Calls in the Bomb Squad

By Helen Thomas

AN ARMY bomb disposal unit was called to a Coventry secondary school after a dangerous chemical was found in the science block.

Police and an ordnance disposal unit arrived at Cardinal Newman Catholic School and Community College, in Sandpits Lane, Keresley – and carried out a controlled explosion.

A chemical solution called Tollen’s reagent found at the school had to be destroyed because it can become dangerous if stored for too long.

A spokesman for the education authority, Coventry City Council, said: "During a routine removal of out-of-date chemicals from a storage room in the science block, a bottle of a chemical called Tollen’s reagent was discovered.

"It is a hazardous substance, especially when it is stored for too long.

"It was therefore considered advisable to dispose of it by a controlled explosion.

The chemical was disposed of safely by army bomb disposal experts in good time for school to operate normally."

The school’s business manager, Andrew Elliott, said the chemical was found last Wednesday afternoon and the army’s ordnance disposal unit was called to dispose of it the following morning.

"There was no disruption to the pupils and it was all done in a quiet, controlled way. The ordnance disposal unit carried it out to the disposal site and exploded it.

Obviously, they did not want to risk driving it on the road," said Mr Elliott."

He added: "The chemical would only have been dangerous if someone had thrown it."

Bob Wade, a spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive, said the incident had not been reported to the HSE as no one was injured.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police confirmed officers had attended the scene where a chemical was destroyed in a controlled explosion but added no children had been affected because it was carried out before the school day began.

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