Local Authorities Warn Of Exploding 'Bottle Bombs'

Police in Montgomery County are warning the public after plastic soda bottles left in backyards in Amity turned out to be "bottle bombs."

The Amity Township Police Department said they found two plastic bottles on a resident's lawn that contained a liquid and tin foil wrapped around the top. One bottle was a water bottle, the other was a Gatorade bottle.

Although Amity is in Berks County, it is near the eastern border with Montgomery County. Police in Upper Pottsgrove are among the departments warning citizens to be on the lookout for the bombs.

These bottle bombs, also known as "drano bombs," are easily made by teenagers, Amity police said.

The bottles are being left on lawns and in gardens, driveways, sidewalks, and mailboxes, according to police.

Citizens are urged to never pick up a suspicious looking bottle but to call police immediately.

"If the bottle is picked up, and the bottle is shaken even just a little – in about 30 seconds or less it builds up enough gas which then explodes with enough force to remove some of your extremities. The liquid that comes out is boiling hot as well," Amity police said.

Bottle bomb makers use a variety of chemicals to create the explosion.

Anyone who has any information on these incidents should call their local police station.