San Bernardino police seize 5,000 pounds of fireworks from home, evacuate neighborhood

The San Bernardino Police Department evacuated dozens of homes before seizing about 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, firearms and manufacturing materials from a residence.

Officers converged on a residence on the 1400 block of West Evans Street at about 8:30 p.m. Monday, responding to a complaint, according to the police department’s update on Twitter. Upon arriving at the residence, the officers found the fireworks in “plain sight.”

In addition, the officers found firearms, manufacturing tools and kegs of black powder, indicating that the residence may have been a manufacturing facility for illegal fireworks, according to the update.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad was called in to help because of the large quantity of explosives.

One person was arrested, said Lt. Jennifer Kohrell, spokesperson for the San Bernardino Police Department. The suspect’s name was not released.

About 48 homes around the residence were evacuated, with the Arroyo Valley High School gymnasium used as a temporary shelter. San Bernardino police allowed residents to return to their homes at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Five bomb trailers were being used Tuesday to transport the explosive material to a different location.

Kohrell noted that it’s not known how many homemade fireworks may have been sold from the residence and whether they pose a hazard to the buyers.

Kohrell said anyone with information should call the police department at (909) 394-5742 or report it anonymously on the San Bernardino County Fire Department website.

Times staff writer Christian Martinez contributed to this report.