Hazardous Substance on Charles River Causes Explosion

Shannon Weidemann

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Volunteers were out on the Charles River on Thursday cleaning debris and trash out of the water and from the shoreline. Three of the volunteers were hurt when an item they brought into the boat exploded. One of the volunteers said the hazardous substance looked like styrofoam.

State Police chemists were testing the substance, but officials said they do not believe it was placed along the shore of the Charles River with the intention of causing an explosion. Two of the boaters suffered first- and second-degree burns, but none of the injuries were life-threatening, said Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.

It is unknown at this time what the substance is. The head of the Charles River Cleanup Boat speculated it may have been a leftover from the fireworks done on July 4th.