BARTON COUNTY —A Kansas man found an unexploded artillery shell in rural Barton County.
Just after 8 p.m. Monday, Barton County 911 was notified an individual had found what appeared to be a live artillery shell.
Several months ago, while conducting haying operations, a citizen discovered the round in a field near the airport west of Great Bend, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.
It was picked up and put in a pickup truck and basically forgotten about. On Monday evening the citizen contacted a relative who is familiar with explosives. The relative advised him to get it out of the truck and call 911.
The Barton County Sheriff’s Office was notified and responded to a location in the 200 block of Northwest 130 Avenue where the munition was located in a farm driveway.
Examination of the item revealed no fuse was present in the nose, although the shell was filled with an unknown substance, possibly an explosive charge, and appeared to be sealed. The Wichita Police Department Bomb Squad was contacted, and it was decided the Sheriff's Office would transport the item to the Sheriff’s Office range until the bomb squad would arrive on Tuesday, July 12.
On Tuesday, the item was retrieved by a bomb squad member and taken to Wichita for x-ray examination. As of this time it is unknown if the round contained an explosive charge.
Local World War II historians believe the round is from a 75 mm recoilless rifle, possibly used at the Army Air Base west of Great Bend. Because of military and oilfield operations in Barton County over the years, it is not uncommon for citizens to locate unused explosives or military ordnance.
If you discover what you believe to be dangerous items, contact 911 or law enforcement.
