Bomb threat shuts down Imperial Valley College
April 15, 2010 @ 1:42 pm
Imperial Valley College was shut down Thursday after a bomb threat was phoned in to the school shortly before noon and on the day before the school’s gymnasium was slated to become a disaster shelter for Easter Day earthquake
Imperial County Arson/Bomb Squad member Eddie Estrada, in the bomb suit, speaks with California Highway Patrol and county fire officials prior to exploding a package believed to contain a bomb in the 600 building, or the college center, at Imperial Valley College on April 15, 2010. The bomb threat was received shortly before noon, causing the evacuation of the campus and cancellation of classes for the rest of the day. --Photo by David Armenta
victims.
College spokesman Bill Gay said the threat was phoned in to IVC around 11:50 a.m. and that IVC personnel immediately called 911. Within 25 minutes the entire campus was evacuated and hazardous materials teams and bomb-sniffing dogs were sweeping buildings for explosive materials.
“The caller implied that there was something in the quad area,” Gay said about the bomb threat phone call. He said the Imperial County Hazardous Device Response Team swept the area and found one suspicious package in the 600 building, or the college center where students gather for meals and class breaks. “It might have been a brick in the package,” Gay said, “but there was no bomb inside.”
Nevertheless, the bomb squad exploded the package in the college center with what one student described as a “neon-bright” wire and “projectile.” Authorities said a second package found in room 409– where biology and anatomy classes are taught– was a crayon box thought to have an explosive tucked inside of it.
Afternoon and evening classes for Thursday were cancelled while authorities continued to sweep the buildings for additional suspicious packages.
The bomb scare did not quash plans for an American Red Cross disaster shelter to be established on Friday at the IVC gymnasium. Gay said the IVC gym is an alternative shelter for folks whose mobile homes in the Desert Trails RV Park and Golf Course in El Centro were knocked off their foundations.
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There were finals today. Will we make them up?
I teach math at the college and was in the middle of a midterm. We’re just going to take ours on Tuesday. You should contact your instructor for more information regarding your test.