A potentially dangerous situation involving dynamite sticks was defused Monday night by Burnaby RCMP members.
Acting on a tip from a worker doing an upgrade on an empty condo unit on the 11th floor of a 39-storey apartment building in the 4200-block of Grange Street near Metrotown, Burnaby RCMP obtained a drug search warrant for the unit.
Just after 8 p.m., police officers discovered a duffel bag containing 10 sticks of the crystallized dynamite and immediately called in explosives experts.
The explosives were deemed a risk, so police officers decided to clear the building, with many of the residents being taken to the Bonsor Recreation Complex.
"The entire building had to be evacuated, and that means we were looking at over 100 people who had to be evacuated," said Burnaby RCMP Cpl. Dave Reid.
The explosives experts disposed of the dynamite by taking it to nearby Central Park, where it was burned.
They also found several small homemade explosive devices in the apartment - Reid said they were small containers containing carbon dioxide which could explode if thrown into a fire - which they removed and safely disposed of.
When it was safe was the drug warrant to be executed, police realized the apartment appeared to be a cocaine packaging and distribution centre. Police seized large amounts of cocaine, guns and money.
"No arrests have been made. We are still looking for the individual who was renting this place out," said Reid. "We don't know where he is and the investigation is ongoing."
The residents were allowed back into the building just before midnight.
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