Police are now saying an explosive device which detonated in the hands of a 72-year-old woman on Nov. 30 could have had much more serious consequences.
Read more: Package explodes in Penticton mobile home park
Luckily Dorothy Czerniak suffered only minor burns and singed hair when the device exploded while she was trying to open it the kitchen of her home in Sun Leisure Mobile Home Park.
“I can describe it as a cardboard box that was wrapped in red Christmas paper. It was unlabelled, it was examined by the explosives disposal unit and it contained an explosive device that could have caused serious injuries,” said Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth of the Penticton RCMP. “The investigation is still ongoing and we’ve spoken to people in the residences and continue to do so.”
He added the examination involves not just the finger prints but DNA collection as well examination of the contents.
The incident happened late morning when a young boy found the package by a cube van parked near the Czerniak’s home and took it to the door, according to Dorothy’s son Don who lives nearby.
Don was just leaving the park when he received a call from his father saying a bomb had exploded in the house.
Police, fire and ambulances attended the scene and the property was cordoned off for most of the day as the investigation continued.
Dorothy spent nearly an hour in the ambulance but did not go to the hospital.
According to Wrigglesworth there have been no further incidents and the matter is currently being treated as an isolated incident.
It’s also not known whether the particular residence was targeted.