ABC4 Utah

Mysterious ‘boom’ in Bluffdale area puzzles public and officials, bomb squad comes in helicopters

Aubree B. Jennings

Update 3/18/23 6:40 p.m.

DRAPER, Utah (ABC4) — Salt Lake County Bomb Squad and Draper Police detectives are actively investigating the loud ‘boom’ heard across the northeast area of Salt Lake County on Mar. 18, according to officials.

The possible explosion took place around 1 a.m. in the Draper area near Moab Way and Manila Dr. While officers responded immediately, they were unable to find any evidence initially.

Bluffdale resident Conner Jorgensen who said his house rattled from the ‘boom’ found this crater surrounded by shrapnel while hiking around the area later that day. (Courtesy of Conner Jorgensen)
Jorgensen located what appeared to be shrapnel near a crater-like hole on the top of the hill. His theory is that someone filled a bucket full of Tannerite, an explosive material, “and it was a bit more than they expected.” (Courtesy of Conner Jorgensen)
Jorgensen hiked to the area near the sound in the afternoon of the same day. He was there when the helicopters arrived. (Courtesy of Conner Jorgensen)
Jorgensen witnessed the helicopters arrive while on a hike. The helicopters were full of detectives and bomb squad authorities. (Courtesy of Conner Jorgensen)
Jorgensen and his group of hikers located what appears to be a crater in the afternoon of the day the ‘boom’ was heard for miles across the Bluffdale area. (Courtesy of Conner Jorgensen)
Jorgensen and his group of hikers stand near what appears to be a crater. They believe it is connected to the loud ‘boom’ that was heard for miles. (Courtesy of Conner Jorgensen)
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Authorities from the bomb squad and Draper police were flown into the area by helicopter later in the morning after receiving a “report from a hiker who had found indication of a possible explosion in the area,” officials said.

Officials continued to say that Geneva Rock, as well as Rocky Mountain Power, are not connected with the incident.

While officials say there is no indication of a threat to the public, police ask the public to stay away from the area while the investigation is still pending. For more information on the incident, read the original story below.

If you have information about the incident, please contact Detective Oakland with Draper Police at 80-1840-4000.

Original Story (3/18/23 5 p.m.)

DRAPER, Utah (ABC4) — A loud ‘boom’ was heard across the Bluffdale area around 1 a.m. on Mar. 18 according to police scanners.

The loud explosive sound, heard by many during the night, is still under investigation with some initial ideas ruled out, according to Draper City Council Member Tasha Lowery.

Many Draper residents were awakened by the sound and began sharing their theories online ranging from a meteor crash to a large-scale Geneva Rock explosion, according to resident Ian Gilespie.

Gilespie was laying in bed setting his alarms for the morning when he saw a bright flash of light from the window. He said he went to the window when a loud boom occurred around 15 seconds after the flash, followed by a plume of smoke.

Gilespie said he captured a few photos and shared them immediately on Facebook where other neighbors were also talking about the incident.

A loud boom was heard in Draper around 1 a.m. on Mar. 18. A local resident, Ian Gilespie, captured this photo. (Courtesy of Ian Gilespie)

“It was really unsettling for us to hear that,” Gilespie said. He said his community in Steep Mountain was “tight-knit” with many expressing to each other that they had never heard anything like it in the roughly two decades since the houses were built.

While some thought it was a meteor or firework, Gilespie said his first instinct was to think of Geneva Rock which is mining in the hills and has notified residents of small-scale explosions in the past. However, officials say that Geneva Rock is not responsible.

Authorities “are still not completely sure what it actually was,” Lowery wrote in a social media post, “we can confirm that it was not a faulty transponder station nor was it activity by Geneva Rock.”

While there are no answers yet, officials say the situation is currently being investigated.

“It seems like this time we don’t have a firm answer, but I’m happy to see the authorities are investigating further,” Gilespie said.

This is a developing story and more information will be released once it becomes available.