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Hillsborough Bomb Squad Called To Pinellas House Fire

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 27, 2008

Updated: 06/27/2008 09:07 pm

  Steven Blackwell

TAMPA The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad has been called out tonight to the scene of a Pinellas County house fire.

Pinellas deputies received information "there may be dangerous substances inside the house, which could cause explosions," a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office release states.

Pinellas deputies came to the scene at 4550 39th St. N. shortly after 4 p.m.

No one was hurt in the fire.

Information about the dangerous substances was based on tips and from past dealings with the person who lives at the home, 40-year-old Steven Blackwell, sheriff's spokeswoman Marianne Pasha said.

Blackwell currently is in Pinellas County Jail.

He was arrested June 3 by Pinellas deputies and charged with three counts of possession of methamphetamines, two counts of possession of marijuana, two counts of sale of methamphetamines and one count each of armed trafficking in cocaine, sale of cocaine, sale of marijuana and possession of cocaine.

"The fire department didn't even go inside the house to fight the fire – they fought it from the outside," Pasha said.

"We don't believe it's a bomb per se, but we received information there's some very volatile substances in various combinations that could be explosive."

For the investigation to continue, a bomb squad needed to come to the home.

The bomb squad remained on scene about 9 p.m.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatribo.com or (813) 259-7691.

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