Military Bomb Found At Old Accident Site

A 500-pound military bomb was discovered Tuesday at a construction site near where a trainload of military ammunition exploded 24 years ago.

About 20 people were evacuated from houses more than a quarter-mile away, and more evacuations were expected, said sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Cooper.

A U.S. Army demolition crew was summoned to the site and planned to detonate the device where it was unearthed.

Cooper said the bomb had the potential to explode over a radius of about 1,000 feet.

The cigar-shaped bomb - it was not known whether it was live - was discovered by Union Pacific construction crews renovating the switching yard.

“Initially they thought it was a hot water heater,” said UP spokesman John Brumley.