Military personnel from CFB Trenton successfully detonated a “war time era” mortar shell Wednesday morning after it was found near a Second World War training ground east of Toronto.
Durham Regional Police say the shell was discovered at Intrepid Park in Whitby, Ont. just before 7 p.m Tuesday by a hobbyist using a metal detector.
Authorities say the area was cordoned off as a safety precaution because they did not know if the ammunition was still live.
Members of CFB Trenton were called in to investigate and the disposal unit managed to safely detonate the shell around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Police say the mortar was located just inches beneath the earth.
No one was injured as a result of the discovery. Police say the military is in charge of collecting the mortar pieces to determine its exact date and origin.
The 280 acre historic site where the shell was found was once home to a secret spy school utilized by British and allied forces known as Camp X during World War II.
The facility opened for training on December 6, 1941 and was in use until 1969.
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