ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Crews safely disabled homemade explosives of some kind at the Villages at Garst Creek in Roanoke County on Monday afternoon.
Maintenance staff found a small safe sitting outside on the apartment complex property. When they cut the safe open, they found something “suspicious” in it, so they called the police, according to authorities on scene.
Bomb technicians took an X-ray of the device. What they initially thought were two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and three sticks of dynamite ended up being modified high power fireworks and other items authorities couldn’t disclose.
Crews moved the explosive material into a state police trailer to neutralize and disable the explosives. They will safely dispose of the material offsite.
Authorities said they evacuated some nearby apartment units “out of an abundance of caution.”
Police still don’t know who made the device and left it at the apartment complex.
The investigation is ongoing. The Roanoke County Police Department is working with the Commonwealth’s Attorney to determine charges.