Police in Calgary say a woman has been charged after a south-end neighbourhood was essentially shut down over an explosive substance left out in the elements.

The 59-year-old woman faces one count of criminal negligence and is slated to appear in court next month.

It comes after a two-day saga in the Manchester neighbourhood, where residents were subjected to evacuations and a series of loud bangs as officers tried to destroy a package of picric acid.

Police said the package had been mislabelled, sat for about 10 days and became "unstable" by the time it was discovered last week.

Transport Canada says picric acid is one of the most dangerous chemicals found in chemistry labs and, during the First World War, was used in bombs and grenades due to its similarities to TNT.

It's alleged th

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