The grey plastic flashlight that Wayne received looked like the one pictured here. It was a Duracell Floating Lantern, measuring about 23 cm long and 15 cm tall. The actual flashlight was destroyed in the explosion.

The flashlight bomb was filled with an explosive emulsion and roofing nails for shrapnel. According to police, the flashlight was intended to be a lethal IED (Improvised Explosive Device).

A mining industry explosive emulsion known as Superfrac was used in the flashlight. Superfrac is generally used for fracturing rock. The bomb was set off by a spark from a single cell, AA battery.

Police say that this type of explosive could usually be purchased at the time (1996) through a manufacturer, but that it could have also been obtained through theft from a gravel pit or some other explosive distributor.