Bomb squad responds after Austintown homeowner disassembles pipe bomb

AUSTINTOWN

Members of the Youngstown Police Department Bomb Squad today disposed of a pipe bomb-like device that was disassembled by someone who found it at a home in the 400 block of South Edgehill Avenue.

Lt. Doug Bobovnyik of the bomb squad said it was called out about 7:15 p.m. after the homeowner was cleaning the garage and found the device in a bag.

Bobovnyik said the device had blasting caps and resembled the kind of explosives that would be used in mining operations. He estimated it had been there between 20 and 30 years.

The homeowner managed to take it apart without causing it to detonate.

Members of the squad retrieved the device and took it someplace safe to dispose of, Bobovnyik said.

Bobovnyik said the homeowner will not be charged. He said the device was probably left in the garage by whoever lived there before.

Bobovnyik also advised anyone who comes into contact with a similar device to leave it alone and not attempt to take it apart. He said the homeowner was lucky the device did not explode. Even though it was old it was still capable of being set off, Bobovnyik said.