Explosive material found in dead Mooresville man’s home

Mooresville police said Friday they are investigating the death of a 33-year-old man in whose home authorities found traces of lead azide, an explosive.

At 1 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a medical emergency call at a home in the 1200 block of Fieldstone Road and found Joshua Aaron Britton unresponsive and needing medical attention, Mooresville police Maj. Gerald Childress said.

Iredell County EMS took Britton to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. He was pronounced dead early Friday, Childress said.

Police have requested an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Police said they found a suspicious material in the house and called in Mooresville Fire and Rescue’s hazardous materials response team as a safety precaution. The State Bureau of Investigation was also called to the home.

The material had “small traces” of lead azide, Childress said. Because such a small amount of the substance was found, nearby homes were not evacuated, Childress said.

The material was removed from the home and destroyed at the Mooresville firing range Thursday night, Childress said. The home was declared safe.

Police said they continue to investigate the circumstances of Britton’s death.

This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Explosive material found in dead Mooresville man’s home."