A regular day of digging turned into an unexpected brush with the past for a construction crew in Joshua Tree, who stumbled upon unexploded military ordinances while installing a septic tank, officials said Thursday. Buried about two to three feet underground, the cylindrical devices prompted a call to the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Station last Tuesday, according to a Sheriff's Department press release.
The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson Unit, alongside the EOD division of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), responded to Crestview Drive, confirming these were indeed military ordinances. While establishing a secure perimeter, the Bomb/Arson Unit assisted the EOD experts, who, hurling themselves into the fray, took the lead in safely disposing of the ordinances, the release detailed.
Determined to have been buried by a person or persons unknown at an undetermined time, possibly years ago, the ordinances were deemed safest to eradicate via a controlled on-site detonation. “This method is routine and the safest method of disposal in accordance with environmental protection standards,” the Sheriff's Department assured Joshua Tree residents, who will be evacuated to a safe distance prior to the blast.
In the meantime, locals can rest easy knowing that authorities do not consider the ordinances a threat to the community at large. “The ordinances are not deemed to be a threat to the community,” stated Captain J. Huizar, Communications Strategy and Operations Director for MCAGCC, in a statement obtained from the Sheriff’s press release. Any further questions or concerns from the public are directed to Captain Huizar at (760)830-5310.
The Sheriff's Department has emphasized that all necessary precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of all involved, with the evacuation and detonation set to proceed under careful observation. With the blast scheduled for later today, officials are moving quickly but cautiously to neutralize this lingering threat from the past.
