Two Dry Ice Bombs Exploded at Los Angeles International Airport
Police in LA are investigating a bizarre, potentially dangerous crime at the Los Angeles International Airport: For the second night in a row, a dry ice bomb exploded in a secure area at the airport, and authorities found two similar bombs nearby.
The first bomb exploded Sunday evening in a restroom inside LAX's Terminal 2, which houses several international and domestic airlines. The second bomb detonated Monday night in a section of the airport – reportedly outside of a terminal, near several planes – accessible only to employees. No injuries were reported in either blast.
"Apparently there is no nexus to terrorism right now," LAPD Det. Gus Villanueva told the Los Angeles Times. The FBI is helping the LAPD investigate the bombings, though it's not yet clear if the suspects would be tried in state or federal court once/if they're arrested.
LAX UPDATE: LAPD: dry ice device exploded, no injuries; source says 2 more similar devices found, total of 3 pic.twitter.com/csK2wfK7vO
— Julie Sone (@JulieSone) October 15, 2013
While less harmful than more traditional bombs, dry ice bombs are still dangerous. From Live Science:
Dry-ice bombs, like any explosive device, can be dangerous. After it's sealed, the bomb's container can burst in a few seconds, injuring the handler. A dry-ice bomb can also shoot shards of dry ice or pieces of the container, which can cause cuts and other injuries. For that reason, dry-ice bombs made in glass or metal containers — or in containers that also have nails or other shrapnel items in them — can be especially dangerous.
[Image via AP]