THE high level investigation into the death of Portland resident John Burrows in an explosion on Friday took a dramatic new twist at the weekend when detectives from the NSW Homicide Squad and property Crime Squad arrived in the town.
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The deployment of these officers confirmed what had been indicated within hours after the blast — that the death may not have been an accident. And in another development yesterday police stated that a person of interest had been identified and was to be further questioned.
This followed revelations that police were investigating:
* THE discovery of remnants of what they described as an improvised explosive device at the scene.
* THE device uncovered by the Bomb Squad was ‘of sophisticated construction’.
* REPORTS that Mr Burrows had been receiving unspecified threats for some time.
* POSSIBLE links to the victim’s activities as a greyhound trainer.
Mr Burrows, who was well known and well respected in Portland, died instantly in an early morning explosion that was felt over much of the town.
He was believed to be on his way to work at Mt Piper power station at the time.
The 58 year old Mr Burrows walked from his home in Wolgan Street about 6.30 am to Villiers Lane where he kept his car in his mother’s garage.
The blast occurred when he opened the garage door, spreading debris over a wide area.
If the mother’s garage had indeed been booby trapped it was obvious that the perpetrator was familiar with Mr Burrows’ movements.
Police said on national TV at the weekend that nothing was being ruled out in the investigation.
Streets around the crime scene remained cordoned off over the weekend and police had been also conducting door to door inquiries in the area.
Nearby residents who had been evacuated to temporary accommodation during the investigation were allowed home yesterday.
One woman told a pharmacist in Lithgow at the weekend she had not even been allowed to return to collect her medications or even retrieve her dogs.
“The police promised to feed the dogs,” she said.