A safe containing what appeared to be explosive material was discovered Monday on the grounds of an apartment complex in Roanoke County, according to the Roanoke County Police Department.
Three buildings in the Villages at Garst Creek were evacuated as authorities assessed the situation, but police said this afternoon it didn’t appear there was any larger danger to the public
A Virginia State Police bomb team is on site and will safely dispose of the materials, said Commander Raymond Torres.
An x-ray scan of the safe found what appeared to be about three sticks of dynamite and two improvised devices, Torres said.
It was not known if the devices contain live explosive material, but authorities are responding cautiously and treating them as if they do.
The state police are now taking steps to contain and neutralize the safe’s contents, Torres said.
“At this point, there don’t appear to be any safety issues to the public,” Torres said. “We’ve evacuated the necessary locations that need to be, per all policies and procedures, as well as the advice of the state police.”
The origins of the safe weren’t immediately known. A maintenance crew discovered it on the grounds, and management reported it to the police around 2:45 p.m.
