KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Lockdown at Madera County Government Plaza After Bomb Scare

Lockdown at Madera County Government Plaza After Bomb Scare

By: Ashley Ritchie

Carrie Karle and her husband were walking out of the Madera County library around four Thursday when something unusual caught their eye.

"It was about this big and it was black, looked like a bike handle and had black electrical tape on it with a couple of batteries. And if you shake it, it sounded like there was something in it like bb's, tacs or something like that," Karle said.

Carrie then went back inside the library and not wanting to scare anyone, she told the clerk about what she'd found in code.

"I said I think there might a b-o-m-b outside. And she was like ok," Karle spelled out.

"At that point we immediately told the bailiffs just start closing everything down, empty out the library," Erica Stuart with the Madera County Sheriff's Department said.

Within minutes the surrounding buildings were evacuated and everyone was placed on lockdown.

Then the Fresno Police Explosives Unit arrived and used their bomb exploding robot to detonate the device.

"After I found out they detonated it, I was like wait a minute I shook that. I couldn't believe it," Karle said.

"They're not calling it a pipe bomb, they're not calling it an explosive device. What they're saying is it is suspicious," Stuart said.

After clearing the area of possible danger, the lockdown was lifted and people were allowed to leave.

"One of the things it always is, is oh it's a suspicious package or it's a suspicious something. And nine times out of ten it's absolutely nothing. But it's that one time," Stuart said.

It's a lesson Carrie Karle learned Thursday afternoon.

"I'm never picking up anything off the ground again. I don't care what it looks like," she said.

And from now on, the only thing she's picking up at the library will be a book.

After the device was detonated, a bomb sniffing dog searched every room of every building in that area.

Deputies say the Fresno Explosives Unit will analyze the device and hopefully give an answer as to what it was in the next few days.