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Aldergrove was a 'blast' on New Year's Day

RCMP detonate blasting caps dumped on church property on Jan. 1.

If you live in Aldergrove and heard a loud boom on New Year's Day, it wasn't just your head pounding from too much partying the night before.

Something did explode, confirmed Langley RCMP.

Around 11 a.m., an anonymous caller alerted police about possible explosives underneath the stairwell of the former Catholic church at 272 Street and 28 Avenue.

Langley RCMP arrived on the scene and saw a detonator cord sticking out of a plastic bag, which was filled with a suspicious device, said Cpl. Holly Largy.

Officers took pictures and sent them to the RCMP Explosive Device Unit.

The EDU arrived and determined that it wasn't safe to transport the material, which they determined was old blasting caps, so they detonated them on site, resulting in the large blast that was heard throughout Aldergrove, said Largy.

"It was determined that the blasting caps were stolen during a B&E on Christmas Day at an Aldergrove business," said Largy.

The caps were very old and being used to blow up large tree stumps.



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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