This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
About 20 homes were evacuated in Tooele after a resident discovered a suspicious container under the floor of his house.
The homeowner, who lives near 200 East and 100 South, was doing some maintenance work about 6 p.m. when he discovered two boxes under the subfloor of the house; one of the boxes was labeled "dynamite," according to a press statement by Utah Emergency Management. Tooele City Fire Assistant Chief Bucky Whitehouse said the boxes also contained warnings "explosive" and "TNT."
Neighbors were evacuated while a bomb squad inspected the boxes.
The boxes, one of cardboard and one of wood, showed signs of moisture, which can indicate unstable explosives, Whitehouse said.
But when inspected, the contents turned out to be soap that had become moist and foamy, Whitehouse said.
Crews determined the contents were not explosive about 10:15 p.m., and residents were allowed to return.
Investigators interviewed previous owners of the house going back 20 years, and none of them knew of the boxes under the floor, Whitehouse said.