A homemade propane bomb was found Saturday morning in a tool shed belonging to an oil field equipment company in Weston County, Wyoming, prompting an active investigation, authorities reported.
Weston County Sheriff Bryan Colvard described the device as “the real deal” and noted it was fortunate the bomb did not detonate.
The explosive device, which involved a 100-pound agricultural propane tank, was discovered around 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. by a worker retrieving tools at the site south of Upton. Sheriff Colvard confirmed the bomb was planted sometime after the business closed Friday evening.
“It wasn’t there Friday, and then was found Saturday morning… It probably wasn’t designed to hurt anybody but rather to start a fire,” Colvard explained.
The tank was not full, and Colvard believes the bomb’s primary purpose was to ignite the propane within the enclosed shed, commonly referred to as a “doghouse” in oil field terminology.
“It was designed to fill the doghouse with propane and give it time before igniting,” he said.
Colvard added that the bomb’s design suggests the maker may have had limited expertise.
Colvard confirmed that possible fingerprints were found on the bomb, and investigators are pursuing leads, giving him hope a suspect will soon be identified.
“We don’t have a motive yet, but we are tracking the components and potential fingerprints,” he said.
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office dispatched two bomb technicians to assist with the investigation. Colvard praised their expertise, saying they provided valuable insight into the construction of the device.
Authorities have indicated that while the device did not detonate, the attempt to destroy the shed was clear.
“There’s no doubt it was an attempt to burn down or destroy the tool shed… We felt comfortable that everything was safe after the initial response,” Colvard said.
While the motive remains unclear, the sheriff assured the public that efforts are underway to identify the responsible party. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
