Posted on 08/21/2008 5:13:56 PM PDT by NavyCanDo
CENTRALIA, Wash. - An explosive device with the potential to deliver "an incredible amount of destructive power" was found alongside tracks leading to Lewis County's Trans Alta mine on Wednesday, officials said. The Lewis County Sheriff's Office said the device was found by a Trans Alta employee who did not recognize it as a bomb and transported it in a rail truck to turn over to the supervisor. The device was a five-gallon propane tank with green and yellow wires coming out the tank. The wires were similar to those used in electrical blasting caps.
After arriving at the scene, the bomb squad x-rayed the tank, and removed a blasting cap from the device. The blasting cap had been activated but the powder inside the tank for unknown reasons had not detonated.
When asked whether he believed a coal-fired power plant about a mile away could've been the target, Mansfield said investigators have not ruled out any possibilities.
(Excerpt) Read more at komonews.com ...
Propane is much more insidious and dangerous as a leak into a drepression or contained area due to its much heavier than air nature than natural gas which most people are familiar with.
No appliance fueled by it have should have the tank in the same contained area and all installations should be verified leak-free by qualified technicians.
Commercial propane does have an odorizer added to it for that skunk smell but it often remains undetected if the lines are buried or covered.
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