Tri-Cities bomb squad blows up unstable dynamite found in West Richland

Workers digging in a field near West Richland uncovered an explosive problem — a can full of old dynamite.

While it’s unclear when the dynamite had been buried, it was underground long enough to become unstable, said Benton County Fire District 4 Acting Chief Paul Carlyle.

Old dynamite tends to “sweat” out the nitroglycerin. This makes it dangerous to handle.

The workers called 911, and Benton County sheriff’s deputies and Benton County Fire District 4 responded. They called in the Richland Bomb Squad to assess the scene.

The bomb squad soon determined it was safer to detonate the explosive there rather than trying to move it, the fire district said.

People living along Weidle Road in West Richland or the western end of the Horn Rapids Golf Course may have heard the explosion when it was detonated about 10 a.m.

This story was originally published August 11, 2020 at 12:36 PM.