VANCOUVER -- Vancouver police said they safely detonated a suspected improvised explosive device Tuesday night.
Police said officers saw what appeared to be fentanyl visible inside a car near Columbia and East Pender streets while conducting a traffic stop. The device was found when officers searched the vehicle.
Members of the Vancouver Police Department's emergency response section were called to the scene and were able to disable and dispose of the improvised explosive using various tools, according to police.
No one was injured in the incident, which lasted for several hours, and the device was destroyed, police said.
"Our officers were able to use a water cannon with a short blast to destroy the improvised explosive device. In the video, you can see it did cause a slight explosion," said Sgt. Aaron Roed. "But if it was to be done without the use of our robot and our emergency response team members blowing this device up, we're unsure of how much of an impact it would have had."
Evidence gathered after the detonation is being analyzed by police, Roed said.
"They were able to use specialized tools, like a robot, that limit risk to our members in situations like this," Sgt. Aaron Roed said.
A 25-year-old man from Surrey was arrested for unauthorized possession of an explosive device. He has been released without charges, but police said the investigation is ongoing.
"This is an ongoing investigation and we are going to be looking at why he had this device," said Roed. "It doesn't appear like it was targeted at any specific group or building or structure at this time."
