GREENFIELD — A local man was arraigned in Greenfield District Court Friday morning, after being arrested the day prior for allegedly throwing an incendiary device out the window of an apartment on Union Street.
Daniel F. Burrell, 53, of 41 Union St., was arraigned on charges of secreting, throwing, launching or placing of explosives; disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct; discharging, igniting or exploding explosives; possession of explosives; and possession of an incendiary device, or a chemical, biological or nuclear weapon. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his bail was set at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety, on the condition he cooperates with a mental health evaluation, not leave the state, and not possess firearms or other dangerous weapons.
Burrell is next expected to appear in court on Sept. 8. for a pretrial hearing.
Police responded at around 3 p.m. on Thursday for a report of a large explosion, called in by neighbors who believed Burrell had thrown a pipe bomb into the backyard from the second floor of the apartment building on Union Street, according to multiple police narratives. All residents of 41 Union St., a three-story multi-family home, were evacuated and neighboring homes were ordered to shelter-in-place while police investigated.
According to Greenfield Police, officers staged a perimeter while waiting for Greenfield Fire Department to arrive. In an attempt to make contact with Burrell, they entered the building and located his second-floor apartment.
When Burrell failed to respond to his name being called and several loud knocks on the door, three officers entered to check on Burrell’s welfare, according to the police narrative of Detective Justin Purinton. Based on the possibility of other incendiary devices in the apartment, Burrell was detained and removed from the building.
According to Purinton’s narrative, Burrell waived his Miranda rights and explained to Purinton that he was “really bored,” which led him to blow up one of the camping propane tanks he had recently picked up on the side of the road. Burrell allegedly claimed to have had a fire extinguisher ready in case of fire.
He was arrested and transported to the Greenfield Police Station for booking — where he was also interviewed by agents from the FBI, according to Purinton — before ultimately being transported to the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction.
Patrol officers and detectives with the Greenfield Police Department; the Greenfield Fire Department; the Department of Fire Services District 4 Hazardous Materials Team; the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section, Detective Unit and Bomb Team; and the Vermont State Police Bomb Squad responded to assist.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.