Investigation at vacant Olney home leads to discovery of chemicals in basement
Jun 26, 2026
Police revealed new details about an ongoing investigation at a vacant home in Olney on Friday.
An entire block in Olney was blocked off for a DEA investigation on Friday morning, officials confirmed.
However, as of about 9:30 a.m., police remained tight-lipped about the nature of the investig
ation.
On Friday morning, DEA officials confirmed that an investigation was ongoing at a property along the 400 block of West Chew Street in Philly’s Olney neighborhood — which caused police to close the roadway along Chew Street between 4th and Lawrence streets — but they refused to offer details about the investigation.
At the scene, NBC10’s Neil Fischer found detectives with the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit putting on protective gloves as they entered the three-story home.
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They later emerged to search a shed behind the property.
According to NBC10 newsgathering partner, KYW Newsradio, the investigation may be tied to bomb-making materials that were allegedly found at the home.
The radio station said a person was taken into custody in this case, as well.
A source has also told NBC10 that the case involves a 44-year-old man who has been taken into custody on drug and firearm charges.
Neighbors told NBC10 the property has been boarded up for at least a year and a half following a fire.
Denise Harris, who lives nearby said she never considered anything was going on inside the boarded up property.
“It’s shocking. I can’t believe it,” she said upon learning of the investigation.
Officials have yet to provide NBC10 with further details on this incident as investigators continued to work at the scene on Friday morning.
An official with the DEA told NBC10 that the agency would provide additional details as soon as they could.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
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