Explosive device in Truckee could have caused serious damage

TRUCKEE - Police here are investigating an explosive device that was discovered at Truckee Fire station 93 at Donner Lake on July 22.

Officer Harwood Mitchell said the pipe bomb was determined to be a genuine explosive device by the Placer County Sheriff's Explosive Ordinance Disposal team.

Mitchell said the device was large enough to cause serious damage. He said there were no injuries or property damages with the removal of the bomb.

The suspicious device was discovered at the front door of the fire station near the west end of Donner Lake at about 11 a.m. A portion of Donner Pass Road and a part of Donner Lake were closed for four and a half hours while the bomb squad removed the device using a robot by around 3 p.m.

"The initial product was manufactured, but appeared to have been modified," Mitchell said.

He said the contents of the device were sent to the Department of Justice in Sacramento in order to test its content. It will be several weeks before the content of the bomb is determined, he said. He said Truckee police have possession of the plastic container approximately 1Ú2 inch to 3Ú4 inch in circumference.

Mitchell said police have been conducting additional interviews in the ongoing investigation.

"We've not identified a suspect," Mitchell said. "There were no threats towards the Truckee fire department."

Some people were frustrated with the road closures, but many remained patient given the circumstances on Saturday, he said.

"When you have it (bomb threat) in a small community like Truckee, it's serious," Mitchell said.