Dept. of National Defence confirms live mortar found in North Okanagan
By dpotenteau
Global News
Posted November 24, 2018 6:31 pm EST
1 min read
This article is more than 6 years old and some information may not be up to date.
Roads around Vernon’s Commonage Area were closed Friday after a live mortar was found. The mortar was a remnant of former military training in the area.
Global News
The Department of National Defence confirmed on Saturday that a live explosive was found in Vernon’s Commonage Area.
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The explosive, believed to be a mortar, was found in Vernon on Friday, though no precise location was given.
However, Vernon North Okanagan RCMP tweeted that the mortar was located south of the army camp and Allan Brooks Way.
Also, the City of Vernon issued a brief press release on Friday, stating that traffic was being detoured in the Commonage Area.
The press release, titled ‘Commonage Road temporary detour in effect,’ said:
“Due to unplanned circumstances relating to construction on Mission Road, temporary detours are in effect on Commonage Road. Mission Road will be detoured at 15th Avenue and closed at the DND Park entrance. Commonage Road will be detoured at Bench Row Road and closed at Allan Brooks Way. Large trucks are to use Highway 97 to access Vernon. It is expected that the detour will be in effect until [Saturday].”
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The Department of National Defence said it was sending a unit to assist in the recovery of the mortar. All of the roads have since been reopened.
From time to time, mortars are found in the area, remnants of military training from the past.
According to a Canadian Armed Forces website page, “there have been several [unexploded explosive ordnance] encounters in the area, including fatal incidents in 1948 and 1963. The exact nature of its former use is still being researched.”