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GREG TRAVIS/Ledger & Times
(Top photo) Calloway County Sheriff Bill Marcum, left center, and Sgt. William Gilbert of the Paducah Bomb Squad examine explosive items found in a unit at Papa Smurf’s Mini Storage on Ky. 94 east of Murray. (Bottom photo) Explosive devices and methamphetamine lab components were discovered Tuesday afternoon in a unit at Papa Smurf’s Mini Storage on Kentucky 94 east of Murray. Officials said there were enough explosives to easily “take out a car.” The explosives can be seen being detonated from 150 yards away. |
Explosives Detonated: Discovery Prompts Evacuation East of Murray
Staff Report
Residents, business owners and students and staff at the Eastwood Christian Academy on Ky. 94 East were evacuated Tuesday afternoon after Kentucky State Police officials discovered explosive devices and methamphetamine lab components in a unit at Papa Smurf's Mini Storage. The facility is located north of Break Time Billiards.
According to Barry Meadows, public information officer with the Kentucky State Police at Post 1 in Mayfield, officials received a call from the owner of the facility that he had located items in a storage unit that had been abandoned.
Meadows said KSP Trooper Trent Weaver responded and verified what appeared to be explosive materials along with an anhydrous tank and other methamphetamine-making materials.
“A 1,500-foot perimeter was established and an evacuation of businesses, houses and the school was conducted,” Meadows said.
Agents from the ATF and the Paducah Bomb Squad were immediately notified. “They responded and secured the storage unit and all its content,” he added.
Located in the storage unit were “blasting caps, detonation cord, explosive boosters and components of an abandoned methamphetamine lab.”
Sgt. Willilam Gilbert with the Paducah Bomb Squad said officials found among the items seven one-pound devices, six blasting caps and an electric cap. He said the materials would generate enough explosives to “easily take out a car.”
Meadows said some of the blasting caps found were identified as being very old, possible from the early 1900s. He said that, because of the age of the devices, bomb squad officials decided to detonate the explosives on-site rather than transport them to another location.
Shortly after 5 p.m., officials found a spot approximately 150 yards north of where the explosives were discovered, dug a hole in a field and proceeded to detonate the materials.
“All the explosives were detonated and the methamphetamine components were destroyed without incident,” Meadows added.
The area was declared safe at approximately 6 p.m. allowing residents to return to their homes and the roadway to be reopened.
The Calloway County Sheriff's Department, ATF, Paducah Police Department Bomb Squad, Calloway County Emergency Management, Calloway County Fire-Rescue and Calloway County Disaster and Emergency Services Unit with its decontamination unit assisted state police at the scene.
The investigation is continuing by Trooper Weaver.
Story created Oct 17, 2007 - 11:37:10 EDT.
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