Boise State University officials worked with firefighters Tuesday afternoon to remove a potentially hazardous chemical from a laboratory chemical closet in the Science & Nursing building on campus. No information was available Tuesday night on what the chemical was.

University personnel doing an inventory of chemicals in a storage closet discovered a chemical that had crystallized and become dangerous. They notified Boise firefighters at about 1:30 p.m., said Boise Fire Battalion Chief Steve Rasulo.

After a discussion of how best to remove the chemical — and potential hazards associated with that — about 35 Boise police, firefighters, EMS and university officials put the plan into action at 4:30 p.m.

Rasulo said the Science & Nursing building was evacuated and West Cesar Chavez Lane was shut down.

At about 5:15 p.m., one member of the bomb squad was sent in to retrieve the glass bottle containing the chemical. He placed in a special protective container, then carried it outside to the "bomb pot," a giant steel vessel. Bomb squad members transported the chemical to a quarry, where it was detonated.

"Everything went well," Rasulo said. He said everyone involved wanted to be prepared for the "worst case scenario."

Katy Moeller: 377-6413