U.S. Highway 550 north of Durango to close, evacuations ordered after 50 pounds of explosives found

Monday, Sep 29, 2025 4:29 PM Updated Monday, Sep. 29, 2025 4:58 PM

Closure expected to begin 4:30-5 p.m. today and last 60-90 minutes

Officials from numerous law enforcement agencies respond to a report of explosive materials being found in an abandoned house on East Animas Road (County Road 250) near Baker's Bridge and U.S. Highway 550 north of Durango. (Courtesy of Randy Black)

Officials from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are responding to the discovery of 50 pounds of highly explosive material in the garage of an abandoned house in the 13000 block of East Animas Road (County Road 250) north of Durango.

Officials were not immediately sure what chemicals made up the explosive material but said it is highly unstable and dangerous, said Durango Fire Protection District Chief Randy Black.

A box of explosive material found in the garage of an abandoned house in the Animas Valley north of Durango. (Courtesy of Randy Black)

“The caregiver found what appears to be 50 pounds of either liquid nitroglycerin or a super high-concentrated bleach, both of which are equally unstable,” Black said.

Black said officials are ordering evacuations for people within a half mile of the 13000 block of East Animas Road, which is between Baker’s Bridge and Highway 550. They also plan to close Highway 550 beginning at 4:30 or 5 p.m. The closure is expected to last 60 to 90 minutes, Black said.

“(The Farmington Bomb Squad and the FBI) are going to use the robot to bring it out into a sand pit that we’re creating, and then it will be burned on site,” Black said. “So the danger is moving it, using a robot and then burning it. Hopefully the glass bottles just melt and everything happens peacefully, but the safety diameter is a half mile.”

He said authorities will reopen the highway as soon as possible.

The bomb squad robots that emergency responders will use to move explosive materials north of Durango. (Courtesy of Randy Black)

“I know it’s going to be an inconvenience to shut the highway down and the county road, but we can’t take a risk,” Black said. “This was a group decision from the unified command on the safest thing for the public and the teams up here.”

Black said if someone finds explosive materials, they should immediately call law enforcement to ensure it is safely disposed of.

Participating agencies included Durango Fire Protection District, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Department of Transportation, Farmington Police Department Bomb Squad, FBI, La Plata County Road and Bridge and La Plata County’s Office of Emergency Management.

This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.