[symple_googlemap title=”Device explosion near HB preschool” location=”19270 Goldenwest St.,Huntington Beach, CA” height=”300″ zoom=”16″]
A Huntington Beach preschool will likely be operating normally Friday after the facility was evacuated when a device, possibly a pipe bomb, was set off in an adjacent parking lot.
There were no injuries.
Two teenage boys were seen running from the scene as reports of a pipe bomb explosion immediately brought law enforcement officers racing to 19270 Goldenwest St., according to the Huntington Beach Police Department.
“The explosive was set off in the middle of the parking lot between Patti’s preschool and the LA Fitness gym,” according to a police statement about the 5 p.m. Thursday incident. “No one was in the area at the time of the explosion and there were no reported injuries.”
Parents and students were evacuated from the preschool and the gym was also cleared safely, police said.
“The Huntington Beach Fire Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad responded to the area,” police said. “Two males in their teens were seen running from the location after the explosion.”
A pipe used to launch bottle rockets was found, police said.
“A mortar was ignited on the ground near a wall and the pipe was found near it,” police said.
No one was arrested and no additional suspect information was immediately available.
—City News Service