STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

Vermont State Police Bomb Squad safely completes explosives disposal operation in Georgia

GEORGIA, Vermont (Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022) — Following an operation lasting a little over three hours, members of the Vermont State Police Bomb Squad successfully disposed of explosives that had degraded to unsafe levels in the town of Georgia.

The Bomb Squad used a controlled burn to safely consume 30 sticks of nitroglycerin-based dynamite that had started to display crystals of nitroglycerin on the surface, creating a potentially hazardous condition.

Bomb Squad members were accompanied by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Georgia Fire & Rescue Department. They were on scene at the property on Oakland Station Road from 10 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. today. The dynamite was possessed legally, and no criminal charges are expected.

“It was an uneventful outcome, which in this field of work is exactly how we want it,” said Vermont State Police Capt. David Petersen, commander of the Bomb Squad.

***Initial news release, 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022***

Members of the Vermont State Police Bomb Squad are on scene at a property in the town of Georgia as part of a disposal operation involving degraded explosives.

The Bomb Squad was notified by members of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that a licensed individual on Oakland Station Road in Georgia was in possession of explosives that had degraded to a condition that necessitated professional disposal. An operation to dispose of the material was scheduled to begin at about 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022.

This is a routine call for members of the Bomb Squad, but explosives can pose a hazard to members of the public. Oakland Station Road remains open, but the public is encouraged to avoid the area if possible.

Members of the ATF and the Georgia Fire & Rescue Department are on scene along with the VSP Bomb Squad. The disposal effort is expected to continue into the afternoon. Further details are not available at this time, but the state police will provide updates as the operation continues.

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