Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, Dispatched to Longview Avenue in Mansfield

Joe Lyons • January 19, 2023

Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, and the Mansfield Fire Department responded to the Purdy Construction Co., at 200 E Longview Ave, in Mansfield, this afternoon.

While cleaning out a storage area, workers found an old box of Trenchrite. To be on the safe side, they called the Mansfield Fire Department, who then had the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad called.

Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Technician, Deputy Joe Titus, who has received his certification through the FBI’s Hazardous Device School, is well versed in the handling of such material.

Bomb Technician Joe Titus commented, this material was old and not explosive anymore, after time it will break down, it’s less volatile than dynamite.

According to Wikipedia,

“Tovex (also known as Trenchrite, Seismogel, and Seismopac) is a water-gel explosive composed of ammonium nitrate and methylammonium nitrate that has several advantages over traditional dynamite, including lower toxicity and safer manufacture, transport, and storage. It has thus almost entirely replaced dynamite. There are numerous versions ranging from shearing charges to aluminized common blasting agents. Tovex is used by 80% of international oil companies for seismic exploration.”