People in Terrace and Thornhill might have heard a loud bang around 9 p.m. on Oct. 14, as RCMP conducted a controlled detonation of old explosives discovered in a shed in Thornhill.
The explosives — fuses, detonation cords, and possibly nitroglycerine — were discovered by a homeowner who was cleaning out a shed in their yard at the Evergreen trailer park on Old Lakelse Lake Dr. They reported the explosives to authorities around 3 p.m.
Local RCMP notified neighbours and secured the area as they await the arrival of the RCMP’s bomb squad, or Explosives Destruction Unit (EDU), which is based in the lower mainland.
The EDU determined that the explosives should not be transported any significant distance. Neighbours were evacuated and fire departments, ambulances and BC Hydro were notified of the situation.
A contractor dug a hole in the ground which the EDU used as they detonated the material.
Terrace RCMP thanked everyone involved, including the Thornhill Volunteer Fire Department and the EDU, for working together to safely deal with the situation.
“The incident was well managed by the police and there was excellent collaboration between the local Detachment, EDU and Thornhill Fire Department,” said Inspector Jayson Lucash, officer in command of the local detachment, in a press release.
