Mandatory evacuation orders are in e after that Hazardous Materials incident in san pablo. People were out of their everyone and a six block radius was evacuated including part of giant highway, minor avenue, 11 street and palmer avenue. We are expecting an update from Contra Costa County fire any minute now and we will bring you that when it begins. Our Justin Andrews has more on what crews are dealing with out there. Crews kept moving methodically with this one because they are dealing with a lot of chemicals and some of those chemicals are still unknown. That is why we have crews right here trying to uncover exactly what those materials were that they found inside the backyard shed. The goal is to make sure people are back in their homes by the end of the day today but that depends on the progress these hazmat crews and teams can make because they are talking about hundreds of boxes and several of those chemicals. In the last several hours, authorities told us the homeowner had passed away a while ago. We are talking a couple of months ago. His brother was cleaning the property and found materials and that backyard shed on the stanton avenue. Not just a few chemicals, we are talking hundreds of them. The brother instantly called emergency crews and hazmat teams arrived. They were swift and labeling this a major hazmat incident yesterday but they dont know exactly what all the chemicals are that they found. They did say there are some explosive chemicals and some are light and motion sensitive. Moving methodically is key with this. We interviewed crews out here and they believe the chemicals may have been inside the shed for years. The crews have to move methodically. They have to move slowly because they do not know. A lot of the containers were not labeled. They dont know what they are working with. The material, due to its very nature, what we consider explosive, could just be a chemical reaction. Crews are working to figure out exactly what those chemicals are. They will be out here for the majority of the day as they uncover what those chemicals are. They still have to get those chemicals, tested them, and then remove them from this neighborhood so this could be a lengthy process. Thank you. We are expecting a live update from contra costa fire from the scene in san pablo. You can see they are all set up and we have the microphones ready to go. We are waiting for them to speak. We will bring that to you once they begin, although it looks like theyre coming to the microphones now. Can we stay with them . Lets listen in. Are you ready to start . We will start whenever you are ready. Tell me when you are ready. We will go. Ready. Thumbs up. Good afternoon. I am john joya. I am the chair of the Contra Costa County board of supervisors and i am chair of the Contra Costa CountyFire District and i am the county supervisor who represents this area and i am here today with other representatives from our First Responders and i want to start by saying that the whole response here has really been a cooperative effort of a number of local agencies including Contra Costa County fire, richmond fire, Contra Costa CountyHazardous Materials which is part of our health department, the walnut creek bomb squad is here, the city of San Pablo Police department, and the fbi bomb squad is now unseen. You will hear more about that. The whole response here has been about , first protecting public safety, which is why there was an evacuation zone yesterday. You will be hearing today that the evacuation zone is going to be reduced in size this afternoon. And, we are working with the red cross where individuals who have chosen to go to the gym in contra costa to stay overnight or seek any help from the red cross, individuals can go there. The whole effort has been to address the unsafe and explosive chemicals that are on scene at the house and the end to do it in a way which gets residents safely back into their homes. With that, i am going to turn it over to captain toler of Contra Costa County fire and then you will hear also from the San Pablo Police department. My first name is chris, last name is toler and i am a captain with Contra Costa CountyFire Protection district. Just a brief update and a recap. Yesterday morning, approximately 10 30, we received a call of a gas leak. Once we got on scene, we discovered we had a major Hazardous Materials incident. We called inappropriate resources to mitigate that incident. You can see us now. We have multiple agencies on the scene to assist us in that effort. With that, if you have any more additional questions, i will be happy to answer them. Last year in los angeles, we saw something similar. I cant speak to what the other agencies and their policies, protocols and response matrix but for Contra Costa County, our response for a major Hazardous Materials incident is just what you see here. What were the chemicals and materials onsite . We dont know the quantities. We dont know the exact types. We dont know the exact names of all the chemicals that were found. We know that they span all classes of Hazardous Materials in various quantities and various improper containers and boxing. We dont know the exact time as to how long they have been in the storage shed. [ inaudible question ] right now, the bomb techs are trying to identify exactly the product that they have on scene. With that, they have to contain them, stabilize and contain, transport and properly dispose of those items. [ inaudible question ] most of the families in the evacuation zone, we dont know exactly where they are but we do have Contra Costa College gym set up. The red cross is there to receive them. We want to express to them that we appreciate their patients and we are doing the best we can to get them back in their homes. We are going to shrink the evacuation zone here pretty soon and we are going to provide Police Escorts during our downtime to residents on john and stanton. We are going to allow them to get some vital items out of their home. How much material has been removed . I dont know how much material has been removed as far as percentages of what was in the storage shed. We do know that some have been removed but we do want to give a number because that could change. It could change between the start of this press conference and now. We are probably a little less than halfway done with materials moved in the storage shed. [ inaudible question ] to a proper disposal site. There was a call for a gas leak. Was there actually a gas leak or an odor of gas . An boater of gas. [ inaudible question ] we dont know. We are trying to identify the individual that lived in the home. We know he passed away approximately six months ago and that is from his neighbors. We do know that his brother, who has been on scene, has been assisting us in trying to give us information. We dont have the owner. We do have the brother of the owner. He was the one that was attempting to remove and or cleanup the property and that is what initiated the call. The brother who lived here who passed, was he the owner . The individual that owned has passed away. His brother was on scene moving the product, trying to clean up the property and with that, he was advised to give 911 a call because there was a strange odor. [ inaudible question ] it was approximately six months ago and i cant speak to that. It is unconfirmed. [ inaudible question ] i dont know that at this time. [ inaudible question ] i cant officially speak to that. We have had conflicting reports as to who he is. [ inaudible question ] the types of Hazardous Materials are extensive, really, to put it plainly. They range up and down our classes of what we consider Hazardous Materials, explosives, flammable oxidizers. The reason we have to be so careful and methodical you have been listening to an update from contra costa fire on that hazmat situation happening in that one neighborhood. What has happened here, a homeowner had passed away. His brother was cleaning at the home and discovered an odor and called authorities so now multiple agencies are on the scene. The fbi bomb squad is now part of this investigation. Unsafe explosive chemicals found at this house. They do have bomb techs right now testing to figure out what they are dealing with and they have about half of it now cleared out. They were talking about how it is different materials, some of them very hazardous and some of them less so. They are trying to figure out what was in the shed. As ryan mentioned, the brother of the owner of the home who passed away about six months ago was cleaning up and down some of this Hazardous Materials when he was attempting to dispose of it, smelled gas, called 911 and this is how it all ensued. There has been a six block radius around this home evacuated for the past 24 hours. The good news is, they are planning on shrinking that the evacuation zone and they will allow some folks who live in the area to go back to their homes to escort them to collect some items but they will still be evacuated. We are going to keep our eyes on this and let you know how many evacuees can return to their homes and the latest on the cleanup efforts. This was the scene in san jose were a construction crew hit a 2 inch gas line under concrete causing a gas leak. This was on Chapman Street near park avenue and 880. A few homes were evacuated and the area was closed off while crews worked to get that leak under control. Fire crews are also on standby at the scene. Former President Donald Trump just arrived in d. C. , expected to make his First Court Appearance surrounding his actions to overturn the 2020 president ial election. Nicole dantonio is at the federal courthouse with the latest. Reporter former President Donald Trump left his new jersey golf course, headed to washington, d. C. Where he is said to be arraigned this afternoon. Charging donald j. Trump with conspiring to defraud the United States, conspiring to disenfranchise voters, and conspiring and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding. Reporter demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse where security is high. Trump is expected to plead not guilty to the charges and a judge may impose travel restrictions. We may get some indication from the judge, some admonitions to trump not to perus the jury pool, not to have incendiary statements. Reporter trump posted on social media that he believes he cant receive a fair trial in washington, d. C. He says he will push to move the case to more trump friendly states such as west virginia. Can you find 12 jurors who swear to tell the truth and will uphold their duty . They clearly cant do that in d. C. Reporter when the case goes to trial, trumps lawyers plan to argue his false claims about the election were not criminal. This is the first time that political speech has been criminalized in the history of the United States. Reporter they plan to argue that trump was listening to his attorneys. Cbs news has learned they are likely some of the six coconspirators cited in the indictment but they have not been charged. Cbs news will have special coverage of mr. Trumps arraignment this afternoon. That coverage will happen any moment now. Meanwhile, we understand he has sent out fundraising materials to supporters asking for their help in fighting these charges. No this is a cbs news special report. Im Norah Odonnell here in the nations capital, an you are looking now at live pictures as former President Donald Trump heads to the federal courthouse. He will be arraigned just blocks from the u. S. Capital in the white house over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and try and remain in office. This indictment, which was handed down tuesday, describes what is called a criminal scheme to keep trump in office, which culminated with an insurrection at the capitol on january 6th, 2021. Even before that he engaged in a Pressure Campaign targeting state election workers, lawmakers, and others, according to this indictment. It also details his efforts to use the machinery of government, including his own Justice Department, to help him cling to power. This will be the former president s third criminal arraignment this year. He is also, we should note, the early front runner the republican president ial nomination. Trump and his lawyers are defending his actions as expressions of free speech, but even his own attorney general, bill barr, saying just last night that free speech does not protect you from entering into a conspiracy. The other really interesting thing about this 45page indictment, if you read through it, it notes the role of the former Vice President mike pence, who told reporters just yesterday that anyone who puts themselves over the constitution should never be president of the United States. The former president arrived in washington not long ago. These are the pictures of him landing at Reagan National airport from his residence in bedminster, new jersey, and now his motorcade arriving at the federal courthouse to appear before a magistrate and well get the details now from our own chief washington correspondent, outside the courthouse they are. Good afternoon, major. Good afternoon, nora. I will tell you the atmosphere outside this courthouse is one of very quiet anticipation. Very few people here looking at this from the outside. Probably 100 cameras or more here to record this historic event. The former president is inside the courthouse, you can see behind me, first to be processed. What does that mean . That means hell be digitally fingerprinted, he will have to answer a couple of questions that will be handled by a magistrate judge, and the former president will appear before a trial judge and enter a plea of not guilty. This will take, we are told, somewhere between 3045 minutes. The atmosphere out here, very calm and very quiet, to the degree that there are those either advocating on behalf of him. Their interactions are civil, very mildmannered. There is a very large security presence here. This courthouse, norah, as you well know in the geography of washington, d. C. , is at the intersection of constitution and pennsylvania avenue, which means of course at this moment is where history, law, and politics come full circle, because on january 6th,2021, some of the protesters who went to the west front of the capitol and some who entered it passed by this very courthouse. From where im standing i can see the west front of the capitol here, so its converging back where it started on that fateful day. I can also tell you that the security here is occupied by capitol police, u. S. Marshals, secret service. Constitution avenue and pennsylvania avenue which i just referred to have been closed down. That was a recent develop in here until a few moments ago traffic was flowing freely. There is no sense of civil hostility, just quiet anticipation. We are not hearing a specific or credible plans for any type of disturbances at this hour, but major, you point out how that major intersection now shut down as the former president arriving there. Lets bring in our campaign correspondent, robert costa. I know you are speaking with your sources this morning. What have you learned . This is a legal reckoning for former President Trump. Hes arriving in washington not to have a quiet lunch at the white house, but to come to a courthouse, and to be accused of trying to defraud the country he once led. The gravity of all this is juxtaposed by the levity inside of trumps inner circle. Talking to his allies in the last hour, some of than traveling with him, they say hes bored by this. They believe he can consolidate his support now inside the republican party. Inasmuch as he is facing scrutiny from the Justice Department, hes not facing it from his own party, the republican party, who continues to push him in many corners to be their nominee. Lets point out that the legal experts say that the four counts laid out in this indictment against President Trump are the most serious charges in all of the cases he is facing. It also marks the first time in American History that the president of the United States, current or former, is being charged for conduct while in office. The former president is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. The three conspiracies are detailed further in the indictment than they are this conspiracy to defraud the United States, and that relates to trumps alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election using dishonesty, frau and deceit, and also conspiracy to obstruct the proceeding and accounting of the electoral votes of the 2020 election, and conspiracy against voting rights, which goes to the very heart of american democracy. That is the right to have your vote counted. Of course this special counsel alleging that is something the president tried to prevent. The special counsel jack smith spoke tuesday following the unsealing of the indictment, and he detailed how the former president allegedly orchestrated this conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. The attack on our nations capital, january 26th, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of american democracy. Its described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies. Lies by the defendant, targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the u. S. Government, the nations process of collecting, counting, and certifying the results of the president ial election. Also joining us as our chief political analyst, john dickerson. I was struck when i heard the special counsel say that, of course, of inauguration day, when the new president comes and swears up there on the west front of the capitol before the American People and all those watching, to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States. Now the commander in chief is accused of doing Something Else than that, not holding true to that pledge. Thats exactly right. The person is given tremendous power, use that power to attack the system he swears to defend. That is at the heart of this. The reason it matters, it is extreme. Here the reporting that the president is bored by to former president isbored by. This is the beating heart of our democracy. We have also often heard this, that prosecutors or judges will say that justice does not sleep. It doesnt get bored. Because, when things are at stake, as serious as this is, this isnt some parking ticket. Thats whats happening here. It isnt about only what happened to two and half years ago. These are vital questions for today. What is more important, conspiracy or facts . Violence, where the system . Those are all still live questions in our public debates today and they will be live going into the election next year. The Justice Department has been quite busy. This is the largest criminal case in American History, beginning with many of those defendants who are charged and have been convicted in assaulting the u. S. Capitol on january 6th. Which makes you wonder why a defendant would consider himself bored with cases like this. Most people on earth would be shaking in their boots. These are pretty serious charges that could lead to pretty serious jail time, and they have the special counsels Office Working overtime, essentially, to bring these charges against this former president. When you take on an adversary like this, you have to be prepared, you have to have your facts straight, and that is in part why we have this 40oddpage indictment here. There is a lot in here. But im sure they have more. I want to bring in robert costa again. Robert, walk us through what essentially is in this indictment, because in addition to these charges we also get a glimpse at some of the evidence that the special counsel has. A lot of evidence. But what is important to recognize when you digest this document is that this indictment was issued against former President Trump while the investigation continues. So the special counsel jack smith is still pressing some of these alleged coconspirators and other witnesses to further cooperate with the government as theyuild the case against trump. It almost like youre trying to fix the plane or change its engine while its landing. This is a lot of work going on simultaneously inside the Justice Department, and with thisndtment shows in brief is a former president , then in the white house, was orchestrating acheme that played off on many fronts. It wasnt just trump asking someone to overturn the election. It was trump, based on this indictment, leaning on members of congress, leaning on people in the Justice Department, leaning on his own lawyers, leaning on state republican officials and election officials, trying to get them to enlist in this idea that the election was stolen. A false claim. A criminal scheme, its called. The reason its called a criminal scheme by the special counsel is he is building evidence about this crucial period, norah, a couple days after the election. He believes he has evidence that shows trump acknowledged privately that he lost the election. The special counsel has evidence that trump acknowledged this privately, and then pursued a whole conspirac allegedly, based on the premise that he didnt lose the elect and that is the b ts alletion of fraud, that trump knew he lost and yet still pursued the presidency through corrupt means based on this indictment. And its on the very first page of the indictment. These claims that the election was stolen were false, and the defendant knew they were false. Why is that so critical . It is so critical because trump and his lawyers are preparing an argument that lawyers on the outside gave him an exit ramp to stay in the presidency, another path. But if he knowingly sd the election was over, and i have reporting that he in the days after the election told one of his top advisors, Kellyanne Conway he said something to the effect that, i cant believe i lost this election to joe biden. I cant believe i lost. The fact that he idhis to different associates behindthesceneseans that everything that ce ter that postectn period was a aims, because trump knew he had lost the election. If he knew he had lost the election and still try to pus all these people to keep him in power, that is seen as criminal intent. The criminal intent to stay in office. Not just to have the belief that you rigged to the election, that it was rigged and you could do this. But his lawyers say thats his free speech, that hes allowed to do that. You can access a lot of criticism about the election, and trumps lawyers will continue to argue freespeech, but william barr has seen in deg said in recent weeks that criticizing the election is onet pressuring people to keep you in power using all the different levers at your disposal as president of the United States is different than expressing free speech. In the eyes of the special counsel, its not freespeech, its abuse of power. And free speech is not absolute. Theres lots of limits on free speech. You cant say certain kinds of things, and you certainly cant say certain kinds of things in furtherance of a crime. Thats why the focus here is on the crimes that were committed, the conspiracy he went into. Thats the important pace, not the fact and the indictment, of course, details things other than speech. It is specific conduct. The main thing you have to recognize is the special counsel has done more work than any other previous investigation, these fake electors or alternate electors. He wanted to essentially throw out votes in all these different states and have republicans in those states send new slates back