Officials investigate reported explosion

Tuesday, May 2, 2006

Local officials are investigating the report of a small explosion that occurred behind a Greencastle shopping center Monday night.

Firefighters from the Greencastle Fire Department responded to the Snappy Tomato pizza restaurant, located in the Shoppes of Greencastle, at around 6:30 p.m. after someone called 911 to report hearing three explosions in the vicinity of the restaurant.

Once there, firefighters went behind the restaurant where Fire Chief Bill Newgent said they found a small metal box and a burnt spot, approximately 6 inches by 6 inches in size, on the pavement.

"We found what we think was some type of metal box with something stuffed inside," Newgent said.

There was no damage reported to the building and no one was injured, Newgent said, but the explosion was loud enough that people in the restaurant and elsewhere in the strip mall noticed the sound and reported it to police.

"We feel it definitely was some type of small explosion," Newgent said.

He said firefighters gave the metal box, which they found inside a dumpster behind the strip mall, to the Greencastle Police Department for investigation.

Officers at the police department could not be reached for comment.

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