Bomb disposal in Florida
From an article in the South Florida
Sun Sentinel:
bq. Hurricane Jeanne's vicious winds and water did more than destroy a few homes in the Ocean Ridge subdivision. They also unveiled a 10-foot-long World War II bomb buried underneath a beachfront driveway.
bq. "We have seen other bombs and depth charges wash up before, but that is unusual to find it underneath the driveway," said Pat Schulke, who lives across the street from the home where the bomb was discovered.
bq. The blue-bricked driveway washed away when the ocean's water repeatedly crashed into it. Sticking out a few feet from the rubble and sand was the elongated, 500-pound rocket-propelled bomb, known in the military as a "Tiny Tim."
bq. Several explosives were used more than 60 years ago while World War II military trained on the barrier island, said Detective Joe Flescher, Sheriff's Office spokesman.
bq. "(Bombs) have washed up in the past, but not usually found within a community," he said.
bq. Explosive ordnance disposal personnel from Patrick Air Force Base in Satellite Beach dug up the bomb Thursday and, with parts of State Road A1A blocked off, neighbors evacuated and a police escort, the bomb was transported to Round Island for detonation.
bq. "It sounded like a large firework going off," said Lt. David Dangerfield of the Indian River County Fire-Rescue. He was about a half-mile away. "Dirt shot right up in the air, and I felt a minimum percussion from it. The bomb was live."
Yikes!
Posted by DaveH at October 1, 2004 5:46 PM