DETONATOR cord that could easily “remove a hand, if not a head” was discovered at the Coleambally tip on Tuesday morning.
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NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) set up a 500-metre exclusion zone after being alerted to the find by tip attendant John Cahill shortly after 9am.
“I found two rolls of instantaneous fuse, I thought it was a bit of rope to start with,” Mr Cahill said.
He immediately alerted council after discovering it was instantaneous fuse – a detonation device he himself had used while working at a quarry years ago.
Mr Cahill said the fuse was not at the tip when he closed it on Sunday.
RFS MIA zone group captain John Smith confirmed two rolls of detonator cord – around 200 to 300 foot in length – was discovered by the tip attendant.
“It has plenty of explosive potential,” Mr Smith said.
“If I wrapped it around a tree three times, it would bring it down quite neatly.
“It would very easily remove a hand, if not a head if it was in the wrong hands or the hands of kids.”
Mr Smith said the cord would need to be detonated on site or at another location.
He said it was concerning the cord was found at the site.
“No one has access to detonator cord anymore, it’s harder to get than a gun – you have to be licensed and it comes under the dangerous goods legislation.
“It is possible these lengths are from about 20 years ago when it was unrestricted.”
Mr Cahill said he would open the tip as normal on Thursday morning.
He said it was the first time in 16 years he had seen something like this at the site.
Initial report: Object found at Coleambally tip, exclusion zone in place