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The evening of closed roads, chemical investigations and calls for evacuations began when the 65-year-old man homeowner at 1625 Bronson Road called police at 4:20 p.m. Tuesday because he thought someone was breaking into his house, police said.
When officers arrived, he was taken to the hospital after a conversation with officers indicated he was confused, police said. Responding officers discovered the multiple unidentified chemicals after detecting an odor, and the homeowner admitted that chemicals were in the house, police said.
Police believe his confusion was unrelated to the chemicals.
A large number of weapons were also found in the house, Police Chief Gary MacNamara said, but that the main goal was to secure and clear the house, he said late Tuesday.
"We stabilize the scene, we get the right resources here, we look at the worst thing first, and the worst thing first is the chemicals," MacNamara said.
Officials said they were looking at an all-night cleanup situation but hope to have the road cleared and open for the morning commute.
Residents had been advised to evacuate the area because of the chemicals but no one chose to leave, officials said. Police said no neighbors were in danger at any point.
Fire and hazmat officials arrived shortly after 5 p.m. That is when officials discovered and began to deal with the chemicals. The chemicals have not been identified, said Assistant Fire Chief Chris Tracey.
"It’s a fairly large amount of various chemicals," Tracey said.
"We really don’t know what these chemicals are," MacNamara said. "Before we can do anything with them, we have to determine what they are."
The investigation closed Bronson Road between Warner Hill Road and North Cedar/Cedar Road, with multiple emergency vehicles blocking the roadway.
Police described the homeowner as a hobbyist. No one else was in the house at the time.
A neighbor described the resident of the house with the unknown chemicals as a hobbyist, with an interest in guns, rockets and model trains.
Responding officials included state police with bomb and attack units; ATF; FBI; state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and state fire marshals as well as the Fairfield Police Department, Fairfield Fire Department and the Fairfield County hazmat unit, which includes officials from throughout the area.
Original story: FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Residents were being advised to evacuate Tuesday evening from the Bronson Road area in Fairfield because of an unknown chemical in a house, officials said.
The chemical has not been identified, said Assistant Fire Chief Chris Tracey. Bronson Road was closed between Warner Hill Road and North Cedar/Cedar Road.
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