Tuesday morning, February 17, there was a bomb threat called into Stewart County dispatch from the Kiewit gas plant. All workers and construction workers on site were evacuated out of an abundance of caution. At the plant around 10:30 am, the guard at the guard shack said he couldn’t comment, all the workers were gone and there were only a couple of Tennessee Highway Patrol Vehicles at the main office. Not a huge police presence. We learned Mon., Feb. 23, there was another bomb threat found last Fri. Sheriff Frankie Gray said it was written on an electrical box at the site. According to Gray, the threat specifically mentioned a turbine but it was spelled wrong. They had to clear the area again and shut down operations. Gray said the FBI has been called in and they were there Fri. The Sheriff’s office is helping if it’s needed but TVA police are the lead agency and are responsible. There are many different contracted workers at the plant and if they come into work, they are paid for eight hours just for showing up. Gray said if anyone has any information they can call the Sheriff’s office and they will relay the information. Their number is 931-232-4053.
THP Bomb squad brought in a bomb sniffing dog and a robot, there was an all clear given Tues. afternoon. Nothing was found. Sheriff Frankie Gray said he believes there was a threat left on one of the port-a-potties on-site. The Standard has learned there has been other bomb threats made recently, at the LG Chem plant there has been threats made over the last few months, much in the same manner.
The entrance to Buckeye road, which leads to the gas plant is directly across from Houston County High School, it was not evacuated. We learned parents were upset they weren’t notified and the students were just told they were on lock down. The plant itself is just across the border in Stewart Co. You can see the steam plant from Kiewit. Hopefully it was just a hoax and they find who is responsible…