Navy Bomb Misses By Mile, Starts Woods Fire
Laser-Guided Bomb Detonates In Ocala Forest
POSTED: 11:17 am EDT May 15,
2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- During what was supposed to be a routine training exercise, a bomb landed off-target, landing and igniting a fire in the Ocala National Forest this week.The 500-pound, laser-guided bomb was released from an F/A-18 Super Hornet on Tuesday, and detonated about 1 mile east of the Pinecastle target range, WJXT-TV in Jacksonville reported.About 250 acres of forest and swampland were burned, according to Mike Drayton, a fire management officer with the U.S. Forest Service.
"We got a line around it Tuesday and have just been cleaning up," Drayton told the Ocala Star-Banner. "Everything is contained."None of the area tree farms were affected, and the fire was contained by the end of the day.No injuries, casualties, or property damage was reported.The Navy jet fighters was from Strike Fighter Squadron 213, based out of N.A.S. Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va.The Navy said the incident is under investigation.
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