Nine homemade explosives were detonated by a bomb squad this morning in a field after finding them in the Rose Creek home of a 47-year-old man, the sheriff says.
Residents from about 10 homes near the man's residence were evacuating for several hours, starting about 8 p.m. Thursday, with the last resident being allowed back about 12:30 a.m. or 1 a.m., Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi said.
The man who allegedly possessed the nine homemade pipe bombs in his home was arrested without incident about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, after deputies went to speak with him about information reported by a relative, Amazi said.
Deputies were allowed inside the home by the man and arrested him on potential weapons charges after seeing items in the residence, said Amazi, adding that she could not give more details on the other weapons and items found inside.
Authorities later got a warrant to do a full search of the man's home, she said.
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Located near the city's grain elevator, the home has neighboring homes to the north and east but none to the west and south, Amazi said.
The explosives were detonated just outside of Rose Creek, she said.
Members of the Bloomington, Minn., bomb squad detonated one of the explosives about 4 a.m. because it was the most "immediate threat," Amazi said. The other eight pipe bombs were detonated in succession about 7 a.m. or 7:30 a.m., she said.
The bomb squad arrived about 11 p.m. Thursday to investigate the items in the man's home, Amazi said.
Mower County authorities got the tip about the man Wednesday but needed to do follow-up work before making contact with him Thursday, Amazi said.
One other family member was living at the home, but that person was not arrested, Amazi said.
The Austin Post-Bulletin is not naming the person arrested because he has not been formally charged with a crime. Amazi said the man is expected to appear Tuesday in Mower District Court if he is charged.
