Second Pipe Bomb Planted at Downtown Disney

Fox & Friends cable television morning news reported Monday that a pipe bomb had exploded in Downtown Disney earlier that morning, shortly after midnight. Later radio reports in Tampa clarified word from Disney that the incident involved a trashcan fire.

The Orlando Sentinel published an online article later Monday morning that provided more details of the event and the device that started the trash can fire.

A sheriff's office press release detailed an account of the event that occurred in a remote part of Downtown Disney as told by a Disney employee. He stated that at approximately 12:30 a.m. he heard a noise and saw white smoke coming from a dumpster. Deputies arrived and secured the area. No damage or injuries were reported.

Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary said that a homemade device was used in the incident and that it blew the doors off a dumpster. He explained that, "our investigators found end caps, which usually indicate a pipe-bomb-like device. We believe this was not designed to cause significant property damage or injuries." He added, according to the Sentinel, that "this is not connected to any sophisticated [terrorist] plot, either domestically or internationally."

This is not the first pipe bomb, or small pipe bomb-like device to be found at Downtown Disney in recent weeks.

WESH.com reported today that Walt Disney World employee Kay Rittershaus faced charges on Friday after he bragged about putting a pipe bomb at Downtown Disney. The small bomb in question was located three weeks ago near Fulton's Crab House. It did not ignite or detonate within Downtown Disney, but was removed from the area and detonated.

Although Rittershaus is charged in relation to the Fulton's Crab House bomb, he denies planning the bomb, and no evidence that he did plant it has been found, according to sheriff's officials. Rittershaus was arrested for his bragging to co-workers, which was similar to making a threat.

Over one hundred shops, restaurants and theaters comprise Downtown Disney, Florida. The entertainment complex includes: the LEGO Imagination Center, where kids can play with one of the largest collections of Lego pieces in the world; Pleasure Island, which includes eight nightclubs such as the 1930's Explorer's Club themed Adventurer's Club, The Comedy Warehouse, 8TRAX, which features 70's & 80's music and Mannequins Dance Palace, which features a revolving dance floor; an AMC 24-screen movie theater; the five floor DisneyQuest indoor theme park; as well as a large variety of other shops, restaurants and entertainment. Downtowndisney.us

Sources:
Fox & Friends. Fox News Network, LLC. July 2, 2007.
MJ Morning Show. Clear Channel Communications. WFLZ, Tampa. July 2, 2007.
NewsChannel2000. Disney Worker Arrested In Pipe Bomb Case: Rittershaus Spoke Of Bomb, Denies Planting Device. July 2, 2007. http://www.wesh.com/news/810951/detail.html. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
Pacheco, Walter and Hunt, April. Device similar to pipe bomb explodes at Disney. July 2, 2007. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/lakebuenavista/orl-bk-package070207,0,6179054.story. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
"Welcome to Downtown Disney's Unofficial Site." 2006. http://www.downtowndisney.us/ Retrieved July 2, 2007.