Police: PVC pipe bomb was source of mysterious boom

PORTLAND, Ore. - A PVC pipe bomb that went off in the Sellwood area is the source of a mysterious boom that people heard throughout the city Sunday evening, according to police.

The loud boom prompted numerous phone calls to police and local news agencies starting around 8 p.m. on Sunday. The source has been a huge mystery since then and folks have been speculating (some of them wildly; see below) about the cause.

Now it appears the mystery has been solved.

According to a report from police, investigators found a large pipe bomb at Powers Marine Park, just south of the Sellwood Bridge, that appeared to have been detonated. Investigators believe the sound was amplified because of its placement near the bank and river, and because of low cloud cover.

Sgt. Michael Unsworth, with the Portland Police Bureau, said police were able to find the location of the explosion thanks to a map people used through Twitter.

“Based on what the citizens had called in and also with that Web site people had established, very quickly led us to this area,” he said.

Manufacturing a PVC pipe bomb is a felony.

Police said it does not appear that anyone was injured during the explosion. There also was no serious property damage.


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