Herndon hazmat evacuations: Residents return home after chemicals deemed ‘safe'

Dozens of families in Northern Virginia were allowed back into their homes after they were forced to evacuate over concerns of hazardous chemicals on Friday.

Police said they discovered suspicious chemicals while searching a home in Herndon, Virginia.

Herndon police said they went to a home in the 200 block of Herndon Station Square to execute a search warrant about 11:30 a.m. Friday on behalf of a police department in Pennsylvania. The man who lives at the home, Steven Timothy Kyle, 44, was wanted by the Central Bucks Regional Police Department for criminal mischief, stalking and three counts of harassment.

While searching for items related to the stalking and harassment charges, Herndon police said they found chemicals and other evidence that alarmed them enough to call in the Fairfax County bomb squad and the ATF.

Officers discovered “suspicious chemicals” while searching a home in Herndon, Virginia, leading authorities to evacuate nearly two dozen homes in the area. “It is an evolving situation. We don’t have a lot of details about what was found in the house at this point, but we do thank our citizens for being patient with us,” Herndon Police Chief Steve Pihonak said.

“Based on their training, they knew they had to call somebody else,” Herndon Police Chief Steve Pihonak said.

Kyle was taken into custody without incident.

Residents of about 20 nearby townhouses were evacuated, and police deemed it safe for them to return home Friday evening.

Pihonak said the chemicals found in the home were “safe.”

A hazmat evacuation is in effect in Herndon, Virginia after police issued a search and arrest warrant. Herndon Police Captain Steve Pihonak spoke to News4 about the developing story.

Police couldn’t comment on what the chemicals are or what they could be used for. However, the chemicals they found were not related to the charges in Pennsylvania, they said.

Kyle was the only resident in the home.

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