Explosive alert caused by bat box

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Explosive alert caused by bat box

Postby Wayne Harrison » May 7, 2007 10:54 am

Explosive alert caused by bat box

(BBC) Homes were evacuated and a main road closed when the Army blew up a suspicious package which turned out to be a bat box.

The A23 and the B2110 at Pease Pottage, West Sussex were closed for several hours on Wednesday after an Army bomb disposal team was called in.

The Highways Agency said on Thursday the package was a bat box being used as part of a wildlife survey.

It was placed on a bridge over the road in advance of an A23 expansion scheme.

"We are working on ways to improve identification of our property to avoid a repeat of the incident," said a spokesman.

The alert was raised amid fears the bat box contained explosives.

Several homes were evacuated and motorists experienced long delays.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "As a result of a well-intentioned call by a member of the public the package was investigated but found to be harmless."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/6618737.stm
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Postby wendy » May 7, 2007 10:56 am

wow I hope nobody was home
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Postby Ralph E. Powers » May 7, 2007 11:39 am

You'd think a bomb squad expert would've examined the box more closely and tried to find a way to "defuse" it without blowing it all up then realizing that there were no wires, timing devices or even explosives on/in the box.
The brits from what I've seen are one of the foremost experts in explosive devices... I'm surprised that it went the way it did.

Identifying the box with lettering isn't going to deter the bats from using the box as a home/roost. That at least needs to be done if it's going to be located along a public area. Around the home sure, plain and unobtrusive would be the way to go.
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