Military Marine Flare "Sparks" Concern

Harwich, Massachusetts Beachgoers rightly reported a suspect device found floating in the waters of Nantucket Sound. Harwich Police and Fire responded to the scene and evacuated people in the area while the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad inspected the item.

Hazardous device technicians removed the item which was determined to be a military marine white phosphorous flare, dropped from an aircraft to mark a location at sea. The item was taken to the Harwich Transfer Station for proper disposal.

The flare appears in the image below to be from recent operations and not from the extensive historic use of the general area for munitions related activities.