DUNDEE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A cleaning company suited up to wipe down the first and second-floor hallways of a Dundee apartment building, Wednesday afternoon. Police are investigating a 'Drano bomb' they say someone set intentionally last night.
“Last night around 9:30, I got woke up to the police department and the fire department banging on my bedroom window," resident Sarah Self told 7 Action News.
She said the command to evacuate came suddenly.
"Everything was going through my mind. I got a young daughter. I just got a cat yesterday. I just tried the best that I could to get out," Self said.
She learned from investigators someone on the other side of the building called 911 after discovering the chemical explosion.
Sergeant Randy Sehl explained, “(The chemical mix is) what’s commonly referred to as a 'Drano bomb' which is a chemical reaction between some drain cleaner and some other elements that pressurize in a container and explodes."
"And after that happened, some residents came out and noticed that. There was some minor irritation to their eyes and face from that explosion," he said.
Sehl said a second Drano bomb sitting within 8 feet of the first one didn’t explode. The Michigan State Police Bomb Squad and the Washtenaw County Hazmat Team successfully removed it.
Jared Hendricks says he and his wife also got a knock on the door to leave. The evacuation lasted a few hours.
"It’s terrible to think about. It’s kids in here. There’s older people in here. Hate to see anything happened to ‘em," Hendricks said.
The sergeant and each resident 7 Action News spoke with independently mentioned a fire destroyed a building across the parking lot just months ago. That was an apparent accident that's fresh in their minds as they deal with this latest incident.
Sergeant Sehl said, "At this point, no, we have no suspects. It’s often referred to as a teenage prank. So it could be kids. But no, we’ve gathered some evidence from the scene, and we’ll continue to investigate."
If you have any information that might help lead police to the person or people who did this, you’re asked to call Dundee police at 734-529-3430.
