Mystery dynamite sticks force evacuations in LA neighborhood

A routine cleaning project turned into a major emergency Wednesday after a Valley Glen homeowner uncovered 20 sticks of active dynamite hidden inside a freezer in her garage, prompting evacuations across the neighborhood.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers were called to the 6100 block of Rhodes Avenue at about 9 a.m. after the woman reported the startling discovery.

She had no idea where the explosives came from or who they belonged to.

Capt. Warner Castillo of the LAPD’s North Hollywood Division told KTLA the woman and her late husband had purchased the refrigerator when they bought the home.

Her husband died several years ago.

Specialized bomb technicians responded and determined the dynamite was still active, Castillo said. 

As a precaution, authorities evacuated residents living nearby and conducted door-to-door notifications throughout the area.

The cache weighed an estimated 10 to 15 pounds.

Experts soaked the dynamite in diesel fuel to render it safe, a process called desensitizing, before preparing to transport it in a total containment vessel to an undisclosed location.

Police are not treating the incident as a criminal investigation.

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Instead, Castillo said the explosives are being classified as “lost/found property” while authorities work to determine where they originated and how they ended up in the freezer.

“I’m not an expert, but whoever put it there knew that it was going to be safe, for what it’s worth,” Castillo said.

Investigators did not find any fuses or blasting caps in the area.

Castillo also noted that the dynamite sticks were somewhat wet, though it was unclear whether that was related to instability in the explosives or simply the result of melting ice from the thawing freezer.

While dynamite can be legally obtained for construction-related purposes, Castillo said permits and licenses are required, and it is not something members of the public can simply purchase from a store.

Several streets surrounding the neighborhood were shut down during the operation. 

Authorities established a 500-foot evacuation zone affecting an estimated 32 residents, while another 22 people chose to remain inside their homes.

Officials warned that an accidental detonation could have caused severe destruction throughout the area.

The LAPD told The California Post that no additional updates were available at this time.