Old Blasting Caps, Dynamite Found in Mattoon Home

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Published on August 11 2015 1:32 pm
Last Updated on August 11 2015 1:32 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Old blasting caps and two quarter-sticks of dynamite were found Monday in a home in Mattoon.

Mattoon Police Chief Jeff Branson said family members were cleaning the home of an elderly relative in the 1100 block of Richmond Avenue when they found the items shortly after 4pm. Branson said the police called to the scene said the sticks of dynamite were in bad shape, so the University of Illinois bomb squad was called to retrieve the items. The squad took the items to their facility for proper disposal. Crews cleared the scene around 7:30pm.

Branson said they get three to four similar calls each year. He said it's often a case of someone brought the items home from the war.

Mattoon firefighters were on standby.