CALGARY - The target of a bomb attack escaped death yesterday after he picked up explosives planted on his apartment balcony and hurled them into the parking lot below, where they exploded.

Insp. Frank Reuser said the resident of the apartment was woken by a noise outside his Pineridge Greene apartment at 5300 Rundlehorn Dr. N.E. and rushed to investigate shortly after 7 a.m., finding two makeshift bombs.

"The person who threw the devices away was probably within seconds of being injured or killed -- very lucky person," he said.

Reuser said the resident was faced with a difficult split-second decision when he found the explosives.

"It's one of those situations where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't," he said.

"If he hadn't have thrown it away, he could have been injured inside. But if he had picked it up three or four seconds later, he could have been killed or injured throwing it away."

The explosions in the parking lot damaged a vehicle, said Reuser.

Investigators spent yesterday questioning two people who live in the apartment.

"We have no suspects, no idea about suspects and the people in the residence are presently being questioned by our investigators to determine what their role is in this and why they would be targeted," said Reuser.

The makeshift bombs in the parking lot just metres from the apartment building resembled small white packages.

About 70 people at Pineridge Greene Apartments were evacuated while cops investigated, said Ashley Hotchkiss, the onsite manager for Transglobe Property Management.

Tim Zuk lives upstairs from the apartment where the bombs were planted and is thankful they didn't explode closer to the building.

He awoke to the loud booms of the bombs and the heavy smell of what appeared to be gunpowder.

"My biggest fear is that whatever went off could have set the building on fire -- it angers me," he said.

The investigation continues.

TARINA.WHITE@SUNMEDIA.CA