Chemical hazard bucket prompts Coronado road closure

A section of Coronado’s main thoroughfare was blocked Tuesday while authorities examined a 5-gallon bucket with part of a dangerous chemical label on it. They later found out it was empty.

A child’s rubber super-hero figure holding a sword had been placed on top of the lid, making the whole thing look suspicious to someone who noticed it near an Orange Avenue bus stop, city spokeswoman Lea Corbin said.

Corbin said the bucket was not a standard home improvement-style plastic bucket, but had partial labels indicating it was for some type of hazardous material or chemical.

It was reported to police and fire agencies about 9:15 a.m. Authorities cordoned off the area around the bench, in front of Spreckels Park, and evacuated the park as a precaution. The sheriff’s bomb squad, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and a county hazmat crew were called in to evaluate the contents.

Two hours later they closed two blocks of Orange Avenue for about 20 minutes. They discovered the bucket was empty, and reopened the road about 11:15 a.m.