Homemade bomb discovered at brush fire in Tamaqua
Apr. 13—TAMAQUA — A bomb was discovered Wednesday night as firefighters were clearing a brush fire in the Dutch Hill section of the borough.
Tamaqua police said officers and firefighters were called around 9:50 p.m. for a report of a brush fire in the area of Clark and Biddle streets.
Officers were subsequently informed by South Ward Fire Company Chief Mark Bower that, while clearing the brush fire, he discovered what appeared to be a homemade bomb.
Also at the scene was Jacob Novitsky, a fire forester with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, who said he had already sent a dispatch for a state police bomb squad.
According to police, an agent from the FBI Bomb Squad and a corporal with the state police bomb squad arrived around 11 p.m., and the area was cleared around midnight after the device was successfully detonated in a controlled manner.
No injuries were reported, police said.
Tamaqua police, along with DCNR and any requested assistance from FBI and state police, are continuing to investigate the incident.
Anybody with information is asked to contact Tamaqua police at 570-668-6100.
