Century-old explosive substance found at Brisbane’s north

Parts of a Moreton Bay suburb were shutdown on Sunday after an explosive chemical dating back to more than 110 years ago was discovered.

Emergency services set up an exclusion zone on Glenmore St.

Parts of a Moreton Bay suburb were shutdown on Sunday after a suspicious substance was discovered.

Emergency services responded to a hazardous material call on Glenmore St in Kallangur around 12.35pm.

Three Queensland Fire Department crews responded and set up an exclusion zone.

Scientific units were able to determine that the substance was an explosive chemical dating back to more than 110 years ago. It was believed to be picric acid.

The Courier-Mail understood that it was from a first aid kit from around the 1910s.

The authorities set up a 100m exclusion zone until the substance testing returned. No injuries were reported.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the chemical substance was disposed of and had no threat to the public.

A Queensland Fire Department spokesman said it was just a discovery, and there was no spill of the acid.

The bright yellow crystallised acid is highly sensitive to sudden impacts or high temperatures, leading to a spontaneous explosion.

It was used in bombs and grenades due to its similarities to TNT during World War I.

The highly volatile chemical sparked an evacuation at a police station in The Gap 10 years ago after an elderly woman handed it to an officer.

Originally published as Century-old explosive substance found at Brisbane’s north