Press Release  Wareham Man Charged in Connection with Chemical Explosion

WAREHAM — A Wareham man has been charged with possessing explosive devices and the materials used to create them after an explosion brought local and state investigators to his home yesterday.

MARK W. HALPIN, 50, was taken into custody last night and held on $15,000 bail pending his arraignment next week. Additional charges may be sought.

The Wareham Fire Department, Wareham EMS, Wareham Police Department, State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, additional State Police assets, and Department of Fire Services Hazmat technicians responded to Aunt Maryville Lane early yesterday afternoon for a report of an explosion in a dwelling.

One person, later identified as HALPIN, was located at the scene. He was transported for medical care, briefly left the hospital, and was returned for treatment of injuries that are not life-threatening. State Police took him into custody following his release.

The Wareham Fire Department, State Police bomb technicians and fire investigators, the DFS Joint Hazard Incident Response Team, and FBI bomb technicians secured the site to ensure no danger to the public. They worked through the night to safely remove a large quantity of energetic material from the residence and a nearby shed. A DFS Rehab unit was deployed to support first responders’ health and safety.

Samples of those materials were retained for testing and will be submitted to the State Police Crime Lab. The remainder posed an explosive hazard and were safely transported to a remote location, where they were disposed of without incident.

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