Homeowner Reports UXO in Shed

Azalea Park , Florida A homeowner called the police to report finding a munition item in his shed. The police arrived and identified that the munition was military ordnance. The EOD team from Patrick, AFB was called in to provide technical support. EOD identified that the round was live (specific size or type not reported) and safely transported the round to a local police firing range where it was safely detonated.

The incident is under investigation but authorities suspect that the UXO originated from a 2,100 acre WWII era practice range that once existed in the area that is now used for residential purposes. It's unknown how long the munition item was in the shed or who may have moved the munition to the shed.

Inert Grenade Made Into a Firework Injuries Boy

Lakeland, Florida a 9 year-old boy remains in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital as a result of an explosion that occurred in his home. The explosion reportedly occurred when the boy used a lighter on an improvised firework designed from a WWII era MK II hand grenade he was holding. The improvised firework was reportedly constructed by the boy's father. It all started when the boy's mother purchased an inert WWII era grenade from an auction house about two years ago. Allegedly the boy and his father decided that the grenade would make a great July 4th firework so they took the powder out of dozens of firecrackers and poured it into the empty grenade body and inserted a wick into it.

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High Clutter Environments Still A Challenge After 60 Years

The U.S. military has been concerned over the potential hazards caused by UXO dating back to when explosives and ordnance were first developed. The awareness of UXO issues greatly increased following the end of WWII as significant numbers of training ranges were closed and the properties were transferred outside of the War Department. Evidence of interest in technologies to detect and recover UXO during this time frame is highlighted in a letter found in the National Archives (thank you Rick Stauber for the donation) from the Ordnance Department to the Chief of Ordnance within the Army. The letter dated 17 January 1946, which can be viewed using the download link below, requests information on technologies that can be used to detect UXO at practice grenade ranges. The historic letter highlights a concern that "unexploded missiles [grenades] remain under a thin layer of loose earth as a result of nearby explosions".

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Munitions Finds at Recycling Facilities The Trend Continues

Ystradgynlais, Wales workers at the Brecon household waste and recycling centre discovered a marine flare amongst the items turned in for recycling. The workers notified the police who responded with a military EOD team to remove the hazard from the facility. The munitions find was not the first find of its kind at the recycling facility. Just over a year ago, an unexploded artillery shell was found mixed in with other household waste. In a separate incident a few weeks later, detonators were discovered at another nearby recycling facility. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

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British IED Response Engineer killed by IED

Afghanistan Warrant Officer Dave Markland, 36, serving with the British Royal Engineer Regiment was killed by an IED explosion. Markland was a distinguished 20-year soldier who was serving on his eighth operational tour of duty when he was killed. Previous tours including five tours in Bosnia between 1995 and 1998, one in Iraq in 2003, and a previous tour in Afghanistan. Although Markland has served in the British military since 1989, he only recently joined the Royal Engineer Regiment assigned to search and destroy IEDs. He leaves behind a wife and two sons (ages 7 and 10).


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