SIGURD, Utah, Dec. 19, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A bomb squad safely detonated a cache of dynamite found by a pair of hikers in Strawberry Canyon Friday.
A news release from Sevier County Sheriff’s Office said the discovery was made in the canyon, which is a branch of South Cedar Ridge Canyon, west of Sigurd.
“Several pieces of clothing, some tools, a gun, pots and pans, and some aspirin were found along with the dynamite in an alcove under a cliff,” the news release said.
“The hikers noticed the clothing, that appeared to have been dug up by packrats and coyotes, and went to inspect the items. As they were pulling some of the items up from the ground they found a bundle of dynamite in a burlap sack along with some blasting caps.”
There were some other smaller sticks found, but they had some crystals built up on them.
“Crystallized or sweating dynamite is volatile and can be unstable so extreme caution should be used when near it, it should not be handled,” the news release said.
The hikers left the area and called the Sheriff’s Office, then took a deputy back up the next day to look at the scene.
“Due the location and the possibility of more items in the ground combined with the crystallized dynamite sticks caution was used to clear the area and contact was made with the Utah County bomb squad,” the news release said.
Because of the remoteness of the location the bomb squad utilized the Department of Public Safety helicopter to land near the mouth of the canyon. The bomb squad felt it was best to detonate the dynamite in place due the possibility of more being buried but not wanting to disturb the crystallized sticks of dynamite.
The dynamite was detonated Sunday using other explosives brought in by the bomb squad. At this time there is believed to be no further risk at this location, officials said.
