Hazmat Incident

**UPDATE** 12:45pm - Austin and all surrounding streets are now reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The evacuation has been lifted and residents have been cleared to return to their homes. The Portsmouth Police Department would like to thank everyone for their cooperation and understanding.

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11:30am - The Portsmouth Police Department, in conjunction with the New Hampshire State Police and the Portsmouth Fire Department, are working together on the removal of suspected hazardous material from 43 Austin Street.

Effective immediately, Austin Street from Middle Street to Cabot Street will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

As a precaution, Portsmouth Police personnel will be evacuating all the residents on either side of Austin Street from Middle Street to Summer Street. Portsmouth Police will be sending out a Code Red notification to all residents in the immediate area who have signed up for this service.

A police command post will be established in the rear parking lot of the Immaculate Conception Church on Summer Street. A media staging area will be established in the same parking lot in proximity to the command post WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA WINTER STREET ONLY. Chief Robert Merner and Captain Detective Darrin Sargent will be available for media inquiries at this site.