Toronto Star : Land mines found in creek

Land mines found in creek

Military explodes 2 bombs found in area where children play near London, Ont.

Tamsyn Burgmann | Staff Reporter | August 5, 2007

Bomb experts from the Canadian military detonated two suspected land mines yesterday in a London-area creek where children frequently swim and play. Local police fear there could be more.

The dome-topped devices, 18 centimetres in diameter and 6 centimetres thick with a flat bottom and pressure switch in the centre, were discovered partially submerged in a creek in a rural area of Strathroy-Caradoc township, about 30 kilometres west of London.

A local woman strolling with her two daughters and dog spotted the first device around 3:30 p.m. Friday. It was sitting exposed in a very shallow part of the creek, under a large culvert.

"The neighbourhood kids go there to catch crayfish, swim and play," said Sgt. Mike Overdulve of the Strathroy-Caradoc police. Overdulve and another officer secured the area around 4 p.m. after receiving a call from the woman. They collected information and sent digital pictures to the Ontario Provincial Police and military, which confirmed it was a military explosive.

A second device was discovered yesterday morning, about two metres from the first and 15 centimetres under water, by two members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, who arrived from CFB Borden yesterday morning.

"It would be very premature to say how they might have got there," Overdulve said. Around 1 p.m. after inspection, the military detonated what they describe as possible anti-tank devices – a type of land mine capable of damaging or destroying tanks or other armoured vehicles.

Investigators are unsure whether the suspected land mines were modern or from a bygone military era. "It's possible that the ordnance is quite old," Overdulve said. All the debris was collected and sent for analysis, with results expected within the next two weeks.

Police contained a one-kilometre area around the scene and conducted an extensive search for any other devices. They found nothing else, and deemed the area safe around 8 p.m. "I'm glad to say it's secure," acting Sgt. Mike McGuire said.

McGuire noted this was not the first time Strathroy-Caradoc police have been called in to deal with military ordnances found in the area.

"We've had a few over the years, people having an ordnance in their home after serving in (a past war)," he said.