Mudslide uncovers old dynamite at Bonners Ferry
Two days following Fridays mudslide, a slide on Myrtle Creek Road (also known as Forest Service Road 633), revealed a long buried surprise. Sunday, April 9, a citizen discovered two cases of vintage dynamite about 8 to 10 feet below the road in a washout.
The Spokane Bomb Squad was called in and were assisted by Forest Service law enforcement officers, Boundary County Sheriffs Office, and the Boundary County Office of Emergency Management. The scene was under control of the sheriffs office and a deputy maintained the scene until Forest Service Incident Commander Mark Gray took ownership.
The dynamite is believed to be vintage 1974, according to Meier. It most likely was left behind when they were originally building the road, he surmised. With dynamite so inexpensive during that era, it was often buried and left behind rather than to risk transporting it. Meier described the 50/50 dynamite as pretty potent.
Although the explosives are gone, people are asked to stay out of the area for 72 hours as the roads remain unstable.
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