Military Explosives Cache Found In Manhole

College Station, Texas A maintenance worker at Texas A&M University made a startling discovery in a manhole while attempting to route a water hose underneath a runway. The discovery turned out to be 27 cases of WWII era explosives approximately 1,400 pounds of explosives in all. Authorities suspect that the explosives date back to WWII when the area served as Bryan Air Base.

Ironically enough, the explosives cache was discovered just a short distance away from the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) UXO school's UXO training grid. In fact, the maintenance worker initially contacted the school after he noticed the markings on the cases. The manager of the UXO school, Ed Fritz, responded and identified the explosives as TNT. Following proper protocol, the school immediately contacted the police and campus security.

The police responded with support from the College Station Police Department's Bomb Unit; the Houston office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Texas A&M's Office of Health and Safety. The Houston ATF field office directed the process of safely removing the explosives from inside the manhole and were responsible for the transportation and final disposition of the explosives.

Below are images from the UXO discovery courtesy of the TEEX UXO School.