5 days ago
Bomb squad called in after B.C. teenager finds improvised explosive device and brings it home
If you find something that looks like a bomb, do not bring it home.
That's the message from the Nelson Police Department after a teenager in the community discovered an active pipe bomb along a highway and brought it back to his residence.
It happened Aug. 12, according to Insp. Jason Jewkes, when a 14-year-old, found the device in the neighbouring community of Trail.
Jewkes described the device as "a metal cylinder with caps on each end and a fuse coming out of an end and then wrapped around with large nails," measuring about five inches long.
When the teen's parents learned of the device, which Jewkes called an improvised explosive device or pipe bomb, they immediately locked it in a storage shed and called police.
From there, members of the RCMP's bomb squad had to be called up from the Lower Mainland, where they were able to use a robot to disarm and dispose of the device.
Jewkes said it was determined the device would have been capable of spreading shrapnel up to 15 metres, which could have been fatal to anyone nearby.
Sgt. Mike Wicentowich told CBC News that police are now investigating the area where the bomb was found, though no arrests have been made and no other explosives have been found.
Jewkes expressed relief that no one was hurt in the incident.
