Central Coast explosion: Why the Bomb Squad had to conduct a “controlled detonation”
Did you hear the enormous explosion a few Sunday nights ago? Here’s the story behind what went “bang” in the night.
Central Coast
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It was the explosion which rocked the Central Coast two weeks ago and now for the first time we can reveal why the bomb squad had to conduct a “controlled detonation” at West Gosford.
Brisbane Water police were patrolling an industrial complex at West Gosford shortly after 11.30pm on Saturday, October 12, when they noticed a man acting suspicious.
After speaking to the man, officers entered a unit at the Gibbons Rd complex, and allegedly located a large-scale clandestine laboratory, which was in the process of manufacturing methylamphetamine.
The 32-year-old man, of Umina Beach, was arrested at the scene and taken to Gosford Police Station.
With the assistance of the Drug and Firearms Squad’s Chemical Operations Team, the lab was rendered safe before police started dismantling it.
During the operation officers discovered a highly explosive, unstable material, which police deemed too dangerous to safely seize and store.
They called in specialist officers from the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit who transported the material to Adcock Park where they conducted a “controlled detonation” about 10pm on Sunday, October 13.
The explosion was heard across several suburbs and as far south as Umina Beach with hundreds of people taking to social media to report the noise “shook” their houses.
The explosion was so big Central Coast Council staff had to backfill the crater left in the ground.
The Umina Beach man was later charged with supplying and manufacturing a prohibited drug and dealing with proceeds of crime.
He was refused bail and appeared before Gosford Local Court on Tuesday, October 15, where he was granted conditional bail to reappear before the same court on Friday, December 13.
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