5 homes evacuated, military called in to deal with antique explosive at North Vancouver home
Five homes in North Vancouver were evacuated and the Department of National Defence was called in Wednesday as authorities dealt with a military artifact in a residential neighbourhood.
North Vancouver RCMP said on Twitter that they had closed Dollarton Highway between Roche Point Drive and Dollar Road after being notified of a "historical ordnance" that was "bought as a novelty," but may be hazardous.
Angelina Kekic was running errands in the morning and tried going back home around 1 p.m., but couldn’t get close to her house.
“The police stopped us and said we’re not allowed in," she told CTV News Vancouver.
Kekic, who was supposed to be working from home, had to cancel her scheduled work appointments. When she asked police what was going on, she was told a potentially explosive device had been found in a home.
“I wanted to know, is it my house? Where this this happening? Where is this explosive? Are there people around my home? For me, that was unnerving, not knowing what was happening," she said.
Sgt. Peter DeVries, spokesperson for North Vancouver RCMP, told CTV News the item in question is a military shell of some kind, and is believed to be quite old.
The person who bought it thought it was decommissioned, but had second thoughts and contacted police, DeVries said.
Officers evacuated four surrounding homes and secured the area around the house where the explosive is located, DeVries said.
The area was shut down for several hours Wednesday afternoon as police awaited the arrival of Canadian Armed Forces experts.
RCMP confirmed Canadian Armed Forces personnel determined the ordnance might be live and dangerous and removed it from the home. By 6:30 p.m. the road reopened and evacuated residents had been allowed to return home.
Sgt. Devries said the incident was not criminal in nature. No fines or charges have been laid. No one was hurt, but some residents were troubled by the hours-long ordeal in their normally quiet community.
“I called my neighbours and made sure they were safe,” said Kekic. “We’re fortunate that we have a good neighbourhood and we watch out for each other.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.