A small, crudely made pipe bomb defused Monday in Griffith has been turned over the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms’ Chicago division, police said.
Several area agencies were called to Griffith around 10:30 a.m. Monday to investigate a suspicious device on the Canadian National tracks near Indiana and Wood streets. CN rail crews, as well as the Griffith Police and Lake County Sheriff’s Department, blocked off the streets between 45th and 43rd avenues while waiting for the Porter County Bomb Squad.
“Porter County used its specialized equipment to disarm the device, and the ATF now has it,” ATF Special Agent Tom Ahern said late Monday afternoon. “This was definitely an isolated incident.”
Griffith Police Chief Greg Mance said later in a news release that CN personnel contacted the department after finding a suspicious item near the tracks north of 45th Avenue. Because of the item’s appearance, Griffith called in Porter County as well as the ATF’s Merrillville office to assist.
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Mance said Griffith and CN Railroad Police will be increasing their presence along the CN property, which has restricted access by law.
Patrick Waldron, of CN, confirmed there was a suspicious item found and said all trains were diverted from the area until it was cleared. The area was reopened fully to all traffic around 1:30 p.m.
Rebecca Sibley, who works at the Automatic Wash Board Coin-Op, 505 E. 45th Ave., watched as the situation unfolded.
“I was told by one of the (CN) workers that it was a pipe bomb, so I’ve been watching everyone show up,” Sibley said.
In a news release, Griffith Town Council President Rick Ryfa lauded the town’s emergency management services for efficiency in handling the situation.
“All of the appropriate outside agencies were properly notified,” Ryfa said. “While these type of incidents are rare, it is reassuring to know that when an emergency situation is activated, our Fire and Police perform in exemplary manner and did an outstanding job coordinating mutual assistance for the incident with public safety a top priority.”
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Griffith Police Departement at either 219-924-3141 or anonymously at 219-922-3085.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.