Tybee residents startled by trash can explosion

TYBEE ISLAND - A chemical reaction blew up a trash can Thursday, frightening some residents on Tybee Island. <br> <br> Neighbors saw the small explosion around 10:52 a.m. outside a home on Kingry Street. <br> <br> Rainwater reacted with discarded pesticide pellets, called phosphine, in a trash can, said Chief Jimmy Brown, of the Tybee Island Fire Department. <br> <br> A vapor cloud of potentially hazardous fumes formed nearby and, at one point, was 10 to 15 feet wide and 20 feet high, Brown said. <br> <br> Officials fielded questions from residents and federal authorities. <br> <br> ``Everyone thought it was a terrorist attack,&#39;&#39; Brown said. <br> <br> Savannah Fire Department&#39;s hazardous materials team was called to the scene. The cleanup lasted until about 3 p.m., officials said. <br> <br> The nearby U.S. Post Office closed until about 2 p.m. <br> <br> A Tybee police officer was taken to the hospital for minor injuries, Brown said.