Pipe bomb explodes, injuring three people


July 20, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

Pipe bomb explodes, injuring three people

LOWELLVILLE

Three people were injured and several homes and vehicles damaged by shrapnel when a make-shift cannon that became a pipe bomb exploded when it was set off shortly before midnight Saturday near the intersection of McGill and Grant streets.

The seriousness of all the injuries was not known Sunday, but one man was hit in the leg, and the wound required multiple stitches.

Lowellville Fire Chief Al Boggia said people and property up to one-half block of the explosion were in danger. Shrapnel broke windows and punched holes in several homes and vehicles, officials said.

No arrests had been made as of Sunday. In addition to the Lowellville Police Department, the Youngstown Bomb Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident.

Explosion at Valley Buick dealership

COLUMBIANA

Rich McCarty of Lisbon was transported to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital with injuries suffered in an explosion at Columbiana Buick Cadillac Chevrolet, 21 E. Railroad St, just before 1 p.m. Saturday.

The extent of McCarty’s injuries was not known Sunday. Columbiana fire, police and EMS personnel responded to the call of an explosion behind the dealership.

According to Columbiana Fire Chief Rick Garrity, McCarty was using a welding torch to cut the lids off 55-gallon drums that had held concentrated windshield wiper fluid, which contains methanol.

Community Day set

NILES

The Howland Health & Wellness Committee is participating in the Howland Community Day at Eastwood Field on Tuesday with a focus on collecting food items and/or monetary donations for the Tiger Food Backpack Program.

The goal of the backpack program, organized and run by Howland United Methodist Church, 730 Howland-Wilson Road, is to provide food to elementary school children from low-income households to get through the weekend when a school meal is not available.

Community Day participants are asked to bring individual servings of nonperishable food items or a monetary contribution to go toward purchasing food for future distribution. For information, contact Dr. James LaPolla at james.lapolla@howlandtownship.org. or Kristen Taylor at 330-544-0771, ext. 2817.