Photo: inside the old barn
The Bomb Squad was called out after the discovery of dynamite in the attic of an old barn –
“On January 2, 2020, a Milford resident called the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and reported while he was cleaning out an old barn on his property, he discovered what appeared to be several sticks of dynamite. To confirm what the resident discovered, the Washoe County Explosive Ordinance (EOD) team was contacted and requested to respond and make positive identification.
Upon their arrival, the EOD team confirmed in fact it was dynamite. EOD team members advised the dynamite appeared to be very old and in an extreme state of decay. The risk of moving it out of the barn for disposal elsewhere would be extremely dangerous.
Therefore, EOD recommended the dynamite be disposed of in place. Due to the barn being in close proximity to Highway 395, the California Highway Patrol advised travelers driving on Highway 395 near the residence could be at great risk during disposal and they recommended a highway closure.
On January 3, 2020, personnel from the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County EOD, Cal OES, Milford Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Lassen County Code Enforcement and Cal Fire, began to plan for the safest way to dispose of the dynamite and to ensure there would be no danger to the property owner and the public. EODs initial plan was to set the barn aflame with a secondary option of remote detonating it in place.
On the morning of January 4, 2020, strong prevailing winds in the area caused the EOD team to implement the secondary option of destroying the dynamite by remote detonating it in place inside the barn. At approximately 1030 hours, the Washoe County EOD team successfully and safely disposed of the dynamite. There was insignificant damage caused by the remote detonation and the structure of the barn is completely intact.
The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for their understanding related to the highway closure. Further, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office greatly appreciates the time and resources efforted by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office EOD team, California Highway Patrol, Milford Fire Department, California Correctional Center Fire, Cal OES, Cal Fire, Cal Trans, Lassen County Code Enforcement and Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric.”
