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
Justin Trudeau's set to go after the Liberals pick his replacement, what now?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announcing Monday that he intends to resign as Liberal leader and prime minister as soon as his party names his replacement, has set a series of political machinations in motion.
Justin Trudeau steps down as Liberal leader. Who are the top contenders to replace him?
With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation as Liberal party leader, several well-known political faces may be waiting in the wings for their opportunity to take his place.
Canada could see a wave of mortgage renewals in 2025. Here is how some homeowners plan to navigate the payment shock.
At least 1.2 million Canadians are facing a mortgage renewal in 2025, and 85 per cent of those existing home loans were contracted when the Bank of Canada’s interest rate was at or below one per cent. Here's how some homeowners are planning to navigate the increased payments.
'Together, what a great nation it would be': Donald Trump, Elon Musk react to Justin Trudeau's resignation
Amid news of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation as leader of the Liberal party on Monday morning, reactions from prominent figures began piling in.
Powerful Tibet earthquake kills nearly 100, rattles Nepal
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the foothills of the Himalayas near one of Tibet's holiest cities on Tuesday, killing at least 95 people and collapsing hundreds of houses, Chinese authorities said.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck seek judge's approval of divorce settlement
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have settled their divorce and are asking a judge to finalize their breakup.
Scottie Scheffler withdraws from another tournament, hopes to play at Pebble Beach
Scottie Scheffler withdrew from The American Express on Monday, saying his right hand has not fully recovered from minor surgery to repair a glass puncture over Christmas.
Trump's inauguration coincides with an unprecedented string of high-stakes security events in D.C.
The last time a president was inaugurated, there was a global pandemic and a violent siege at the very spot at the U.S. Capitol where the ceremony takes place. This time, the event is happening as part of an unprecedented string of high-stakes security events in the nation's capital.
France marks 10 years since deadly Charlie Hebdo attacks
A decade after gunmen stormed the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in a deadly assault that shook France to its core and ignited a global outcry in defense of freedom of speech, the nation paused on Tuesday to honor the victims and renew its resolve to fight for liberty and democracy.