2,000 Unexploded WWII Artillery Shells Removed from Construction Site

Jasionka, Poland An excavator operator on a construction unearthed over 2,000 unexploded WWII artillery shells on a construction site in Jasionka, Rzeszów, Poland

Bomb squad members and police rushed to the scene to evacuate the area and investigate. Officers from the mine-laying and pyrotechnic reconnaissance group confirmed that the items found were WWII-era UXO.

On the day of the initial response, 750 artillery shells were removed from the ground before dark. The following day, an additional 1,314 shells were found, bringing the total to 2,064. Sappers from the 21st Battalion of the Polish Army in Rzeszów responded to safely remove the bombs for proper disposal.

A spokesperson for the Rzeszów Municipal Police Headquarters said, "750 artillery shells were unearthed. Due to weather conditions and the approaching darkness, work was suspended until the following day. Officers from the Trzebownisko police station secured the area of the dangerous discovery throughout the night."

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Case'O' Grenades in Olallo

Olalla, Washington A routine property renovation in Kitsap County evolved into a multi-agency explosive response operation following the discovery of a cache of ordnance in a residential crawl space.

Contractors were conducting renovations on a property in the 11000 block of Olalla Valley Road SE when they identified a case containing what appeared to be 10 grenades and other explosive devices. Upon discovery, the contractor halted operations and implemented a "stop work" protocol, instructed his team not to handle the case, and immediately contacted the property owner and emergency services.

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Maine Museums Cleared of Cannonballs Amid Concerns for Safety

Castine, Maine Unexploded cannonballs from the War of 1812 were safely removed from the Castine Historical Society in Maine. Kate McMahon, the society's executive director, said that she believes someone donated the cannonballs decades ago and that the UXO sat in storage until recent concerns arose about their explosive threat.

According to McMahon, the news that Fort McHenry in Baltimore was evacuated recently after unexploded cannonballs were found during utility work, prompted museum staff to examine the cannonballs. The examination revealed that three were likely black powder cannonballs.

The Maine State Police bomb squad responded to remove the three large cannonballs, along with 16 smaller cannonballs which appeared inert. McMahon said that the smaller munitions were "unlikely to contain explosive powder," but the museum "wanted to ensure both the safety of our collections and facility, as well as the general public."

The bomb squad wasn't done there, they also removed two dozen cannonballs from the Wilson Museum in Castine on that same day. All the ordnance was slated for controlled detonation.

USAF Partners with Pueblo to Clear Native Lands of Old Ordnance

Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico

In a press release Isleta Pueblo Tribal Council Governor Eugene Jiron said, "We truly appreciate the Air Force coming out here. Seeing everyone working together shows we have a strong partnership with Kirtland. This cleanup matters to our community, we have families who graze cattle here and we allow hunting in these areas. Clearing old munitions helps keep them safe."

The Pueblo and Kirtland AFB have committed to work together to address buried ordnance in other areas in future joint efforts.

Florida Arson Bomb Team Responds to Potential UXO Find

Orlando, Florida The Orlando Fire Department and its Arson Bomb Team responded to a potential explosive device on Friday afternoon. Once on the scene, firefighters determined that the device was an inert grenade and posed no risk. Although not live, the grenade was turned over to the Patrick Space Force Base EOD team for proper disposal.

Open House in Maine Prompts Bomb Squad Response

Harpswell, Maine The bomb squad and EOD were called in after an unexploded WWII-era artillery shell was found at a home in Harpswell. According to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, the munition was discovered during an open house.

The Maine State Police Bomb Squad and Maine Air National Guard's 101st EOD team, responded to identify the device as a British artillery round. It was transported to a safe area where a controlled counter charge revealed it was inert.

Maine State Police reminded citizens who come across any suspicious device to never touch, move, or attempt to examine the item. Instead, immediately contact local law enforcement.

WWII Ordnance Forces Large-scale Evacuation at Airport

Hong Kong Officers from the explosive ordnance disposal bureau responded swiftly after construction workers discovered a suspected wartime bomb found at a construction site at Hong Kong International Airport. Police evacuated approximately 900 people from the area while EOD disposed of the British wartime mortar by controlled detonation.

EOD were able to complete operations just four hours after the initial report of the find. No injuries were reported and airport authorities said flight movements continued as normal and were not affected by the incident.

Another in a Long History of Goodwill Ordnance

Fort Pierce, Florida A live grenade was discovered among donated items at a Goodwill store in Fort Pierce, leading to a prompt evacuation and response from the bomb squad. The Fort Pierce Police Department was called to the Sabal Palm Plaza store after a suspicious object was reported.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office Bomb Disposal Unit safely removed the device without incident, and authorities quickly determined there was no ongoing threat to public safety. The source of the grenade is currently under investigation, though officers do not believe there was any malicious intent.

The Goodwill organization and law enforcement officials in certain regions have described these incidents as "oddly common" or happening "about every 9 months or so at one of our stores," often involving World War II-era memorabilia.

EOD Respond to UK Beach for Suspect UXO Discovery

Charmouth, United Kingdom A bomb scare unfolded on a Dorset beach after a concerned member of the public reported an object they believed to be UXO. Local police and the coastguard established a cordon around the mystery device and called in EOD experts. Unable to definitively identify the partially buried object from photographs, the Royal Navy bomb disposal team was dispatched from Plymouth, leading to an expanded 300 ft cordon.

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