Suspicious tube did not contain explosives

By Collin Gallant on July 27, 2017.

Medicine Hat News

A suspicious tube that was dismantled by a bomb squad robot on Tuesday did not contain explosives, Medicine Hat police say.

But they are trying to determine who owns the cylinder that looks like a pipe bomb and why it was left on a public road.

Traffic was diverted for several blocks surrounding the intersection of South Ridge Drive and Sage Road for about four hours on Tuesday afternoon. A remotely controlled robot examined the object, and eventually broke it apart with the second of two concussion blasts.

The plastic PVC pipe that was capped at both ends did not contain explosive material, the service said Thursday morning.

The authorities say it “resembled a pipe bomb” but “the contents were not explosive materials.”

The major crimes unit will continue the investigation to determine who owned it as well as the “intent for leaving it in a public location.”