Explosive Situation
Karen Nichols/Daily Inter Lake<br>Jim Browder of the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, looks through some of the items that were thrown from a red suitcase after the luggage was blown apart by a robot with the Missoula bomb squad. The Missoula County Sheriff’s bomb squad was called Monday afternoon after the suspicious piece of luggage was found behind a patrol car Monday morning. There was no indication of an explosive device in the suitcase but law enforcement officials were not taking any chances.
By NICHOLAS LEDDEN
Bomb squad called in for suitcase full of clothing
The Daily Inter Lake
A suitcase left in the parking lot of the Flathead County Sheriff's Office aroused enough suspicion Monday for authorities to cordon off the area and call in the bomb squad.
And even though it turned out to contain only old clothes, the abandoned case precipitated a five-hour vigil that eventually involved law enforcement agencies from three jurisdictions.
"We're just taking every precaution we can," said Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan. "We have no indication there's an explosive device in there, but we just can't take any chances."
The small, red suitcase was discovered standing up behind a patrol vehicle parked in a lot on the Flathead County Justice Center's west side just before noon Monday. A deputy, who had parked the vehicle about half an hour before, noticed the suitcase upon returning to his rig, Meehan said.
Deputies and Kalispell police officers responding to reports of the suspicious suitcase cordoned off the area, closing down sections of 10th Street West and Ninth Street West. Just before members of the Missoula County Sheriff's Office bomb squad used a remote-controlled robot to approach the suitcase, authorities also closed a portion of First Avenue West south of the Courthouse Loop.
Kalispell police officers responding to the scene parked the department's armored vehicle, the B.E.A.R., to block any blast that should occur. Then, late in the afternoon, the Missoula County bomb squad deployed a remote-controlled robot to approach the suitcase. The robot used its mechanical arm to lay a bottle of water fitted with a blasting cap next to the suitcase and detonate it.
"Basically what they're going to do is just take the package, tear it apart, and see what's in there," Meehan said. "It's too dangerous to move it."
With a substantial boom that echoed off nearby buildings, the rigged water bottle exploded about 5:20 p.m.
"It completely destroyed the suitcase, opened it up exactly like it was supposed to," Kalispell Police Chief Roger Nasset.
Surveillance cameras mounted outside the Justice Center failed to show who left the suitcase and when. Although it turned out to be harmless, investigators will track down and question the case's owner, said Nasset, adding that there appeared to be no motive or reason why the owner deserted it.
"Hopefully it wasn't a practical joke," Nasset said.
Homes opposite the parking lot on First Avenue West were not evacuated, but their residents were warned to stay inside. Justice Center offices - largely empty because of the Columbus Day holiday - and Detention Center inmates were not evacuated.
The Kalispell Fire Department also responded to the scene with their hazardous response team, a fire engine and an ambulance.
Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com