By: Jim Hayes
The Tennessee Highway Patrol bomb squad removed two jars believed to contain explosive materials, Oct. 27, from Volunteer State Community College parking lot E.
According to a police report filed by Vol State officer Frank Winslow, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Materials Management Department was having its annual Household Chemical Collections event when an unidentified man deposited a box containing two, four-ounce plastic jars of a white powdery substance later identified as being trinitrotoluene otherwise known as TNT.
“We had a hazardous waste collection event at the college,” said Eric Melcher, Vol State coordinator of public relations and marketing.
“The college was just a host for the event. TDEC actually ran the event,” said Melcher.
“At some point, someone dropped off a box of what appeared to be TNT. Organizers of the event contacted our campus police department,” said Melcher.
“Our police department then contacted the THP bomb squad who came off and collected the box,” said Melcher.
Winslow’s report says that the box was dropped off at approximately 1 p.m. Saturday and that THP actually arrived on the scene at and took possession of the package about 5:30 p.m. Saturday after being contacted at about 3 p.m.
“TDEC holds these events all over the state. We’ve had it here annually every year for many years without incident. This year they just had someone drop off something they shouldn’t have,” said Melcher.
Melcher said no campus events were disrupted as the result of the incident.
No criminal charges are being filed.
Comments are closed.