By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Residents living in an apartment complex at the corner of Main Street and East Depew in Buffalo heard an explosion around 5:00 Wednesday morning. Initially, they believed it was a shooting, but Buffalo firefighters discovered a pipe bomb had exploded.
Lt. Garnell Smith of the Buffalo Fire Investigation Unit says the device was rigged to a cylinder of propane inside the complex. But he says fortunately the pipe bomb did not ignite the propane.
"Propane expands by a factor of 270 times," Smith explained. "So you can imagine the devastation that might have caused. It would have been a true disaster."
Resident were evacuated, but no one was hurt. Smith says a full investigation is now underway by the federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
"We believe the bomb-maker certainly had a target in mind," Smith said.
The complex is located directly next door to the St. Francis Geriatric Center and St. Claire Apartments for the elderly.