N.W.T. RCMP urge caution with explosives after old prospecting materials found in Hay River home

Explosives become more volatile and dangerous as they degrade

N.W.T. RCMP say they evacuated part of Hay River on Tuesday after the discovery of degraded explosives in a home.

In a news release Thursday, police reminded people to be careful with blasting equipment and other explosives.

They said Hay River RCMP received a report from the family of a deceased person that they found degraded explosives while cleaning out their home in the West Channel area. The deceased was a former prospector and used the explosives for blasting, but as explosives degrade, the become more volatile and become “extremely dangerous” to handle, RCMP said.

Officers evacuated residents within a 150-metre radius of the explosives while an explosive technician decreased the explosives’ volatility, removed and safely disposed of them.

Related stories from around the North :

Sweden: Thousands of kilos of explosives missing in Norrbotten, Radio Sweden