“Over in the corner, that’s where I seen the two-liter bottle melted with rocks and some kind of liquid in it,” she said.
“I immediately called the police because I said this has to be a bomb.”
It appeared to be some type of homemade device contained in a green, soda pop bottle stuffed with aluminum and some sort of liquid. Fire officials said they are still analyzing the evidence.
The object may have been thrown on the step and then bounced onto the porch, where it exploded and shot hot rocks across the doorway and lawn. Police spent much of the morning collecting and marking debris.
Neighbors said they heard the explosion echo through the neighborhood.
“We heard a car pull up and then we heard a very loud boom, and then the car kept going around and around the neighborhood,” said Brandi Gevedon. “We thought somebody got shot down here because we seen people running.”
The explosion caused minimal damage to the home — but plenty of emotional damage to the Hansgen family.
“They definitely said someone was trying to bodily harm my house or me because of the rocks being in there. That they definitely wanted to hurt somebody,” Hansgen said. “That really scares me.”
Many in the neighborhood said they no longer feel safe.
“(I’ll) be a little more cautious, keep a little more eye on my kids ‘cause, I mean, if you go from a bomb on the front porch, who says your kids ain’t going to be hurt next?” Gevedon said.
Anyone with information can call Springfield police at (937) 324-7716.
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