Asia-Pacific

Explosive device detonated in southern California

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-27 13:50

LOS ANGELES - A bomb squad detonated an explosive device found near a public park in Orange County, southern California on Monday, the CBS TV network reported.

About a dozen homes were evacuated and a street was closed as authorities removed the device, the report said.

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After receiving a report that a device was found near Yorba Regional Park, Orange County police dispatched the bomb squad to the scene, and the squad successfully dismantled the device, the report quoted police Sgt. Rick Martinez as saying.

Martinez said the device had been there for hours before it was reported at 2:30 p.m.(2130 GMT).

The device was made with a substantial amount of explosive powder in a five-gallon water jug, sealed off with tape and then had a fuse placed in it, Martinez said.

The fuse was lit at some point, but it did not detonate, he said.

It might be the work of one or more pranksters, according to preliminary investigation.

The Orange County bomb squad detonated a portion of the device without setting off the powder so they could render the explosive inert, Martinez said.