Talk about a blast from the past! Construction workers in Kalgoorlie-Boulder unearthed a hessian sack packed with decades-old explosives during renovations at a surveying company's office. This discovery isn't just a quirky news story; it's a reminder of the hidden histories that lie beneath our feet.
The explosives, remarkably preserved, were found beneath the back deck of the Element Geospatial office on Cheetham Street. What makes this find even more intriguing? The explosives were wrapped in a copy of the Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper, dated August 6, 1955. This detail provides a precise timestamp, placing the explosives over 70 years old!
Construction crews stumbled upon the forgotten cache on a Wednesday morning. Immediately, they did the right thing, alerting the authorities. The response was swift and decisive: police and fire safety units swarmed the area, and an evacuation was ordered. A bomb squad traveled from Perth, arriving around 4:30 PM. Thankfully, the experts safely removed the explosives, and the area was declared safe by 5:15 PM.
According to a police spokesperson, there was no immediate danger to the public. Element Geospatial Kalgoorlie team leader, Matt Jones, explained that the explosives were located under an inspection hatch. The hessian bag, which was labeled as a sugar sack, was found beneath layers of debris and dirt, near the drains that run under the deck.
But here's where it gets controversial... Who put the explosives there? And why? Was it a forgotten stash, a relic of the gold rush era, or something more sinister?
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments!
In other news, swimmers are being urged to avoid a hotspot after dangerous bacteria was found in the water. (This is a separate news item and not directly related to the explosives find.)
