A military device capable of burning at temperatures as high as 3,000 degrees washed ashore on a California beach—and a well-intentioned beachgoer unknowingly carried it home.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and Navy explosive specialists from Point Mugu were called to an Ojai residence last week after a resident brought home a Navy MK25 phosphorus marine marker found near the waterline, authorities said in a social media post.
The beachgoer apparently believed the suspicious object could endanger other people and removed it from the sand before contacting law enforcement.
Officials, however, said the attempt to help could have had catastrophic consequences.
“Although well intentioned, marine markers, even if wet and expended, are extremely dangerous,” the Ventura County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad said.
The military devices contain phosphorus, a substance that can remain dangerous even after a marker has been submerged in seawater or appears to have been used.
“Residual phosphorus can dry out once removed from the water, then spontaneously reignite or explode when moved,” authorities warned. The markers can reach temperatures of up to 3,000 degrees and contain highly toxic material.
The MK25 is a military pyrotechnic device used to create smoke and flames on the ocean’s surface, providing a visible reference point for aircraft or vessels. According to the US Army, the markers can be dropped from the air or deployed manually.
Authorities did not identify the Ventura County beach where the device came ashore or say how long it had been drifting in the ocean before it was found.
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The MK25 may also be just one of several pieces of hazardous military equipment washing up along the Southern California coast.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad added to Ventura County’s warning on social media, saying its crews had responded to several similar devices that washed ashore in recent weeks.
Officials said the recent discoveries may be linked to powerful storms and rough seas stirring up debris along the coastline.
Ventura County beaches have recently faced high surf and dangerous ocean conditions, including impacts tied to the remnants of Hurricane Marie over Labor Day weekend and swells generated by Hurricane Polo.
California has also prepared for severe ocean conditions linked to El Niño. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a precautionary state of emergency, while several coastal communities issued local emergency declarations because of existing damage and continuing threats.
Whatever brings the next suspicious object onto the sand, authorities are urging beachgoers not to take matters into their own hands.
“If you come across an item that looks like a ‘bomb’ or other piece of military equipment please leave the item in place, evacuate the area, and call 911,” the sheriff’s bomb squad warned.
