Officials detonate WWII-era bomb found on beach

PASS-A-GRILLE BEACH, Fla. — An object that Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is calling possible military ordnance has forced people to evacuate a beach Sunday.

Homes along the beach side of Sunset Way from 22nd Avenue to 28th Avenue also have been evacuated.

The ordnance was found at 8:38 a.m. by a walker on the beach at the shoreline.

PCSO described the 4-foot item as having a cylindrical body with a cone-shaped cap on one side.

The object also has barnacles and "appeared to have been submerged for a significant period."

There is currently a 300-yard perimeter around the ordnance.

According to authorities, the ordnance could not be moved from its location, so a controlled explosion took place on the beach.

PCSO has called in help from Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad and authorities from MacDill Air Force Base to help in the disposal of the object.

MacDill Air Force Base confirmed it was a m122 photoflash bomb from the WWII era.