A Los Angeles homeowner got quite a surprise while cleaning out her garage this week when she opened an old freezer and found 20 sticks of live dynamite inside.
The discovery prompted a response from the Los Angeles Police Department Bomb Squad and led to the evacuation of nearby homes in the Valley Glen neighborhood while authorities worked to safely remove the explosives.
The homeowner told officers she had no idea the dynamite was there. The freezer had been in the garage for years and was purchased when she and her late husband first moved into the home. Investigators believe the explosives may have belonged to him, though authorities have not confirmed exactly how long they had been stored there.
According to reports from the Los Angeles Times and People, the bomb squad was called to a home on Rhodes Avenue around 9 a.m. on June 3. Authorities evacuated the surrounding area as a precaution while specialists assessed and removed the explosives. The evacuation order was lifted later that afternoon after the dynamite was taken to a secure location.
What Police Say Happened
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According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the Bomb Squad responded after the homeowner reported finding 20 sticks of live dynamite inside an old freezer stored in her garage.
LAPD Captain Warner Castillo, speaking through People, said the dynamite remained stable and did not detonate. However, he warned that if all 20 sticks had exploded, the blast could have caused significant damage in the surrounding neighborhood.
Castillo said the potential consequences ranged from hearing damage and shattered windows to structural damage to nearby homes. In a worst-case scenario, people could have been seriously injured or killed. He also noted that whoever stored the dynamite in the freezer appeared to understand that the cool environment would help keep it stable over time.
Homeowner Had No Idea It Was There
The homeowner told officers she had no idea the dynamite was inside the freezer.
According to reports, she said the appliance had been in the home since she and her husband purchased it years ago. Her husband died in 2014, and investigators believe the explosives may have belonged to him, though authorities have not publicly explained why he may have had access to dynamite.
Police have not identified the homeowner, and no arrests have been made.
Why Someone Might Have Dynamite
While many people associate dynamite with old movies and cartoons, it is still used in certain industries today, including mining, demolition, quarry operations, and some construction projects.
California heavily regulates the purchase, transportation, and storage of explosives. In most cases, dynamite can only be legally possessed and used by licensed professionals and businesses that have obtained the required permits.
Authorities have not said whether the homeowner’s late husband worked in a profession that would have required access to explosives. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding how the dynamite ended up in the freezer, though police have emphasized that they do not currently believe any crime occurred.
Once the dynamite was safely removed, residents were allowed to return to their homes, and normal activity resumed in the neighborhood.