(Alberta RCMP)

By rdnewsNOW staff

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Dynamite tips for handling explosives safely

Nov 10, 2020 | 12:17 PM

EDMONTON – Every year, Albertans report finding dynamite or detonators stored, or in some cases forgotten, on their properties. Alberta RCMP is encouraging Albertans to continue to report these explosives to their local police.

From January 2020 to October 2020, the Alberta RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) located and disposed of 36 Geogels, 11 sticks of dynamite, 0.25 rolls of detonator cord, 10 kilograms of gunpowder, two metres of safety fuse, two perforator initiators and 161 detonators.

Mounties say that most explosives the EDU is called to recover are located in rural areas as Alberta has a large amount of degraded dynamite on older properties from mining and farming industries. Some of these explosives were purchased because historic rules gave Alberta farmers and ranchers easy access to dynamite.

The Alberta RCMP EDU would like to remind Albertans not to touch anything they think could be an explosive. Instead, call local police immediately and the EDU will be called to dispose of the explosives safely at no cost to the homeowner.

In August in the Bassano Detachment area, a family located a cache of dynamite, detonator cord, and a box with detonators while cleaning out their barns. Police say the family did the right thing by calling their local RCMP detachment, who then called the EDU.

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“This holiday season, when you visit elderly family members living on rural properties, talk to them and ask if they have explosives stored that may have been forgotten,” Mounties say in a release.

If you see something suspicious, report it to your local police service. If you see a crime in progress, call 911. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” mobile app.