The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad disposed of a military marking flare that washed ashore off Vero Beach on Thursday, according to the city’s police department. No injuries or evacuations were reported.
The bomb squad detonated the device, which appeared to be live and smoking, according to an information report from the Vero Beach Police Department.
“The device was recently used for training purposes,” said Officer Kelsea Callahan, a spokesperson for the Vero Beach Police Department.
Vero Beach police were dispatched to the incident about 8 a.m. in the 1100 block of Olde Doubloon Drive, a neighborhood in Castaway Cove east of State Road A1A. A woman who lived nearby and was walking along the beach spotted the smoky device and called 911, Callahan said.
The incident also prompted the response of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad, along with Patrick Space Force Base’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The explosive ordnance disposal team declared the item – a Navy Flare container – was a military device, Callahan said.
Police advised motorists to avoid the area. Officers said the discovery of the munition did not pose a threat to the public.
The bomb squad blew up the device, Callahan said. The scene was cleared by 11:12 a.m.
It was not immediately clear where the flare originated.
“If residents see anything suspicious wash up, never touch it. Always report it,” Callahan said.
Photos contributed by Vero Beach Police Department
