It was literally “bombs away!” in the Crooked Creek community of Putnam County Saturday afternoon.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said he had to call in a U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal team from Robins Air Force Base to blow up some old mortar rounds on Clubhouse Road.
The explosives were discovered by an off-duty firefighter with Putnam County Fire Department. Sills said the property was covered in hoarded junk that he described as “thousands of cement blocks, tires everywhere, probably hundreds of bicycles, even two old school buses.”
“The (former owner) was obviously a hoarder, and the (new owner) had hired this firefighter to clean it up,” Sills said. “He was just walking the property in order to provide an estimate and he saw these mortars and recognized what they were and called us.”
Sills called in the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, which went to the scene and identified the mortar rounds as ones used by the military. So, as required by law, Sills called in the military.
When he talked to The Eatonton Messenger early Saturday before the bombs had been detonated, Sills said they’d found only two rounds so far.
“And this property is so big and so far off the road, that the explosion wouldn’t be enough to damage houses,” Sills said.
He said the EOD team was digging a deep hole in which to put the mortars, and they would pile sandbags on top so the shrapnel would be contained and no evacuation of the area would be necessary.
The bombs were detonated around 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
“I am sincerely appreciative of the quick response and assistance of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office yesterday and the highly professional assistance and services of the Airmen today,” Sills said.