Military Ordnance Identifed and Destroyed in Solvang
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a military ordnance that was reported by a concerned citizen at around 3:30 p.m. yesterday, April 16, 2014. The citizen called 911 to notify law enforcement of the hazards and location of a potentially explosive military ordnance. Sheriff’s deputies responded and discovered the device in the 1600 block of Copenhagen Drive which is located in the heart of Solvang’s business district near residences. The military ordnance was lying among some trash in an enclosed area of an alleyway behind several businesses.
The Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and Vandenberg Air Force Base’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team responded and determined the military ordnance was a 105 millimeter ammunition shell, about four inches in diameter and 18 inches long, with the fusing system still intact. The ordnance appeared to be old and had been fired at some point, but because the fusing system was still in place the device was considered potentially unstable and able to cause widespread damage if it exploded.
The Sheriff’s Office began to immediately evacuate the area in order to clear a 1500 foot radius around where the ordnance was located. At approximately 5:30 p.m., reverse 911 calls went out to about 400 telephone lines in the immediate area instructing residents of a mandatory evacuation. At approximately 8 p.m. more reverse 911 calls went out to include a total of about 1,000 phone lines. In all, its estimated about 500 to 700 people were evacuated which included several hotels in the area. The American Red Cross set up a shelter at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall in Solvang where several hundred displaced residents gathered and waited.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team went door to door to ensure that all the residents in the designated evacuation area had left. The process took several hours due to the large number of businesses and homes in the populated, downtown area.
Once the evacuations were completed around 11:20 p.m., the Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and Vandenberg’s EOD team were able to retrieve the military ordnance shortly after midnight and render it safe. At approximately 1:30 a.m., they transported the device to a remote location and destroyed it with a controlled detonation.
Right now, it’s unknown where the military ordnance came from. Even though they are not meant for public use, they can be purchased on-line. The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind community members to be cautious when purchasing and storing military ordnances. Over time they have the ability to become unstable and dangerous. If you have a military ordnance you would like to safely dispose of or have concerns about someone who possesses a military ordnance that may be dangerous, please contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office at 805-681-4100.
Address/Location
Santa Barbara County Sheriff
4434 Calle Real
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-681-4192