Kallithea explosive material removal operation

An emergency operation was conducted in Kallithea, Greece, after vials containing suspected picric acid were discovered in two apartment buildings on Laskaridou and Iatriou streets. The substance was identified by a property owner, prompting the Fire Service and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (TEEM) to intervene.

As a precaution, police evacuated the affected buildings while specialists worked to collect the vials. Picric acid, chemically known as 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, is a highly unstable yellow crystalline solid. It is extremely sensitive to impact, friction, or heat when dry and can form even more volatile picrate salts when in contact with metal containers.

The alarm has since been lifted, and the area has returned to normalcy following the successful collection and management of the material by the specialized units.