Small Explosives Found in Local Harbor

[Malsua]

Probably nothing, just confused how two blasting caps are found in a big ole harbor..

-Mal
-------
Los Angelos

BREAKING NEWS

Several small explosive devices have been found in the waters of Huntington Harbor near Bonaire Circle, and various law enforcement agencies with divers are on the scene trying to remove them.
Reportedly, two blasting caps were found by a Harbor Association diver, and the caps are "very unstable in salt water." Check back for more. We will update this story as more details become available.




http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?se...cal&id=3801837

[Brian Baldwin]

That is rather interesting. I wonder if some blasting work was done in that harbor a while back or what date the caps go back to.

Brian

[Backstop]

Blasting caps in the harbor - explosive devices in an elementary school.

What is going on in Huntington Beach, California?

I'll bet the 'Move Along, Nothing To See Here' story will be just grand...

http://www.foxreno.com/news/6008941/detail.html

Divers Work To Remove Explosives From Huntington Beach Harbor

POSTED: 3:47 pm PST January 11, 2006

SANTA ANA -- Divers worked Wednesday to recover at least eight wired blasting caps discovered in a Huntington Beach harbor. Authorities ordered a ban on cell phone use to prevent accidental detonation of the devices.

The explosives were described as commercial grade detonators used to trigger large explosions in mines or other sites and were considered highly unstable, Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino said in a telephone interview.

They are about the size of a cigarette and were spread over a 150-yard area beneath nine to 15 feet of water, he said. Each cap was attached to a 10-foot-long, brightly colored wire and the caps appeared to be intentionally placed on the ocean floor within the last 36 hours, he said.

"They are very unstable in salt water. They do pose a threat to the divers, any swimmers, any boaters in the area," but not to nearby homes or large yachts, he said.

Amormino added that cell phone signals could trigger the caps, so a "no cell phone" zone was ordered around the recovery site.

A blasting cap is normally used as a detonator when connected to a larger explosive, such as TNT, but divers hadn't found any evidence of stronger explosives. By itself, this type of cap is capable of causing an explosion equivalent to that of a hand grenade, he said.

The devices were discovered late Tuesday by environmental divers hired to check on algae growth in the harbor, officials said.

"The question is ... how did they get there? We have no idea," he said, adding that officials think it's unlikely the explosives are from the nearby Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station.

Amormino said investigators believe the caps were placed in the water sometime in the past two days based on the corrosion on the wires. The wires were colored bright orange and bright green, and would be visible from a distance to a diver in the area, he said.

Several agencies were called to help remove the explosives, including the bomb squads from the Orange County Sheriff's Department and Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...cle_946163.php

Friday, January 13, 2006

Explosives found at Huntington Beach school

Children evacuated from College View Elementary.
By JOHN McDONALD

The Orange County Register

HUNTINGTON BEACH – Two explosive devices were found at an elementary school shortly before classes started today and about 500 students were evacuated to other schools, officials said.

A janitor at the College View Elementary School, 6582 Lennox Drive, found the two devices at about 7:50 a.m. and secured them to an enclosed space before calling authorities, said Huntington Beach police Lt. Mike Reynolds. The school was evacuated but because of the chilly temperature and clinging fog, the youngsters were taken by bus to other schools.

"These are real explosives – they could kill a person," Reynolds said.

Sandy Carr, executive assistant to the superintendent of the Ocean View School District said some children were taken to Sun View Elementary School but most were taken to Spring View Elementary School. Parents were notified and given the option of picking their children up.

"We anticipate the children will be returning to school as soon as the campus had been checked by police and found to be safe," Carr said.

The Orange County bomb squad is at the school and investigators are examining the devices.