Explosive shuts down Fairchild Air Force Base, Highway 2

The Fairchild Air Force Base main gate and U.S. Highway 2 were shut down around 4 p.m. Friday after a hunter brought a live mortar round that he found while hunting to the base’s visitor center.

The hunter was apparently trying to turn the device over to military, according to a Fairchild press release. He reportedly found the 60 millimeter mortar round while hunting at an unspecified location two hours away from the base.

The 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordinance disposal team removed the device. The highway and main gate were reopened shortly before 5 p.m.

The type of mortar round found is not used by the Air Force, according to a base official. The incident is under investigation.