Turmoil in Cleveland Bomb Squad

Cleveland, Ohio Six members of the Cleveland Bomb squad resigned over alleged safety concerns with their new supervisor. Reportedly, the six officers were especially incensed after a recent training exercise at the Airport was conducted with live explosives vs a simulant potentially putting personnel and the airport at risk.

In their resignation letters the officers said they would return to the unit if the supervisor was removed. According to Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Herold Pretel, there are no immediate plans to remove the supervisor as investigations so far has turned up no wrongdoing. But police officials have added an extra supervisory position to the unit.

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Bomb Disposal Fireworks Call Results In Injuries

Los Angeles, California Police responded to residential property after receiving a tip of a large cache of illegal fireworks. Police removed between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds of fireworks from the house using three box trucks and a 53-foot trailer.

In the cache, officers found 40 items described as 'explosive devices' along with '200 similarly made smaller devices'. The total weight of the explosive devices was reported as 10 pounds. Due to concerns that the explosive devices were unstable, the bomb squad brought in a truck mounted containment vessel designed to sustain a blast from 15 pounds of explosives. However, when the items were detonated in the truck, resulting blast ripped the truck apart and flipped over nearby parked cars.

At least 17 people - 10 law enforcement personnel and seven residents were injured as a result of the blast. LAPD Chief Michel R. Moore told reporters at a news conference - "Now this is a semi-truck, multi-ton, commercial-grade transport that, within it, has an iron chamber that is meant for this, where they house explosive material that can be safely detonated." He added: "This vessel should have been able to safely dispose of that material."

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Bomb Squad Responds To Aging Dynamite

Glendora, California the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb squad responded to a residential property after the great-grandson of a deceased homeowner was cleaning out the basement when he found 22 sticks of very old dynamite in a cardboard box.

Members of the bomb squad, told reporters covering the find that the dynamite had turned grainy and deteriorated to the point that the nitroglycerin had crystallized resembling mold on cheese. Some sticks had bent and others looked as if they were about to break, said Det. Oscar Corcio, also on the bomb squad.

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UXO Response - Who Has the Lead

Fort Gordon, GA Utility crews digging a new trench for a water supply line just outside Fort Gordon encountered a mortar round. Army officials at Fort Gordon contacted the local police department since the UXO was found outside of the military installation.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office bomb squad responded and positively identified the item as a military munition. Following the discovery, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office described their role as one of assistance, saying Fort Gordon authorities "have operational command of the incident at this time." However, a Fort Gordon spokesperson stated to press covering the story, "the incident was outside the grounds of the post, so the sheriff's agency had the lead role."

Former Bomb Disposal Tech Dies of Coronavirus Complications

Riverside County, California David Werksman, a 22-year deputy with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department died of complications due to the coronavirus. Werksman joined the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in 1998, working in the jails, on patrol before joining bomb squad, an assignment he held for 11 years before moving into the Sheriff's Department's administration unit, handling public records requests.

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Donated Grenade Leads to Goodwill Evacuation

Lake Worth Beach, Florida A Goodwill Outlet Center was evacuated after the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad responded to a call of a grenade in the building. Reportedly the grenade (specific type not reported) was found in a box with other donated material. The bomb squad safely removed the grenade from the building and people were allowed back into the center.

Grenade Scare at Retirement Community

Hingham Massachusetts The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad responded to a call of a grenade at Linden Ponds, a continuing care retirement. Family members found the grenade during a visit with their 95-year old relative who lives at the facility.

The family member reportedly moved the grenade outside away from the buildings and other residents before calling the police. The bomb squad determined that the grenade was an inert replica. Authorities checked the apartment unit for other potentially dangerous items but no other items were located. Although it did not contain an hazard, the resident turned over the replica grenade to the bomb squad for disposal.

Unexploded Avalanche Charge Removed

Breckenridge, Colorado An unexploded avalanche charge was found in the area of Peak 7 on National Forest land in Summit County. Although the county is under State 1 Fire Restrictions which prohibits the use of any explosives, an exemption was granted to allow the local sheriff's office to counter charge the device to dispose of the hazard.

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Grenade Found Buried in Milwaukee Mud

Oak Creek, Wisconsin Police and Milwaukee County bomb squad responded to a residence following reports of a hand grenade found buried in the mud by a landscaping crew. Bomb disposal officers determined it to be an M67 hand grenade. Upon inspection, the bomb disposal officer deemed it inert and of no danger. It was removed from the property for proper disposal.

100 Year Old Dynamite Found in Shed

Loweswater, United Kingdom a man clearing out an old storage shed on his rural property called police after he found six sticks of dynamite and six detonators. Two of the dynamite sticks were in a wooden box alongside the detonators, which were in a small tin and wrapped in a newspaper dated 1901.

Police responded and cordoned off the area and before taking photos to send to a bomb disposal team based in Catterick. The bomb squad instructed personnel not to handle or move the items as they prepared to send a team to respond.

The bomb squad arrived and carefully relocated the items to a hole they dug in a nearby field away from the farmhouse. The items were safely destroyed in a disposal shot.

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