Authorities in Laramie, Wyoming, are asking residents of several mobile homes to evacuate due to “potential explosives in the area.”
Materials to make fireworks were located inside a home in Prairies Edge subdivision, just off State Highway 30. Albany County Emergency personnel were working to remove the materials, county emergency officials said in a Wednesday afternoon statement.
The evacuation area includes residents living in mobile homes at 530 Beaufort St. Authorities said occupants in homes in spaces 33 to 35 and 83 to 95 must leave their homes until further notice.
Beaufort Street is one of the main east-west roads in the north part of town, and 530 is the address of the Prairies Edge mobile home park.
The evacuation area had included wider parameters earlier Wednesday, but authorities say all other residents except those in the spaces listed can return home.
“Please continue to avoid the evacuation area to allow responders to work,” county officials said.
Evacuees are asked to “proceed calmly and quickly to the designated evacuation point at the Eppson Center (for Seniors)” at 1560 North 3rd Street in Laramie, county officials said, adding a directive not to return home for belongings.
People can expect to be evacuated for 10 hours, the statement say.
As Wednesday evening, authorities were still working to evacuate people, Laramie Fire Marshal Dennis Johnson told Cowboy State Daily.
He described the region as a residential modular home community, “kind of dispersed” among regular, single-family homes.
The Laramie Police Department, Albany County Sheriff and Emergency Management did not immediately return voicemail requests for additional information.
As far as what the sizeable cordon area, lengthy estimated wait time and other announcements mean, former U.S. Army armorer Joey Correnti said it’s too early to draw conclusions.
That was before authorities made the late-Wednesday announcement about the fireworks materials.
“Way too early to tell. Probably best to take the direction of whoever has command of that area — and don’t bug them. They’re busy,” Correnti told Cowboy State Daily. “Let them focus on their work. … And we can play armchair quarterback tomorrow after everything’s deemed safe.”
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
