Postal workers at the Manning Post Office noticed a suspicious object lying near the loading dock at the back of the building Saturday morning at 10 am. The supervisor called 9-1-1 and reported their findings to the emergency services dispatcher. A Manning City police officer arrived to evaluate the situation. The object was determined to be a piece of PVC pipe, with both ends capped off. Following department protocols implemented to ensure the safety of everyone, the officer notified Manning City Police Chief Keith Grice. With the assistance of Chief Mitch McElveen and members of the Manning Fire Department, a one block radius around the post office was cordoned off, preventing any pedestrians and vehicles from getting close. Chief Grice contacted SLED in Columbia to request trained personnel to inspect the pipe. Upon his arrival, the SLED agent used a hand-held x-ray device to see the contents, which appeared to be an unknown solid substance with no wires visible. After discussing the situation with other SLED agents in Columbia, the decision was made to detonate the object in the spot that it was discovered. The agent placed a long section of detonator cord on the pipe, then returned to a safe distance to activate it, thereby demolishing the pipe. Found inside was approximately a pound of what appeared to be sand. No other materials were found in the pipe. Manning City Police and Fire departments maintained security at all times.“While the pipe was discovered to be filled with harmless sand, the situation had the potential to involve an actual explosive device of some kind,” said Grice. “Our policy is to ensure that our officers, as well as anyone else, remain safe in all situations. That is why our protocols dictate the exact procedure that these officers follow to handle almost every situation. Everyone should always be aware of potential hazards around them. This time, it was a harmless pipe. The next time could be something far more dangerous.”
