Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) along with police were tasked on Friday afternoon (2 September) after ‘old munitions’ were discovered by contractors working the former St Patrick’s Barracks site, in the Demesne Avenue area of Ballymena
A crew from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) also attended. A spokesperson for NIFRS confirmed that the crew was tasked at 12:12pm to the ‘ongoing incident’.
Contractors were evacuated from the scene as ATO’s moved in to examine the find.
Commenting on the incident, a police spokesperson said:
“Police currently have a cordon in place at a work site in the Demesne Avenue area of Ballymena following the discovery of what is suspected to be old munitions at the site.
“No roads have been closed and there has been no requirement to evacuate any local residents at this time. An operation to ensure the safe removal of any objects is underway. There are no further details at present.”
UPDATE: A policing operation in the Demesne Avenue area of Ballymena has now ended. Police and ATO examined an object uncovered at a work site which was determined as being an old container with a small quantity of phosphorus powder inside. The item was disposed of and police have now left the area.