APG Responsible for Startling Blasts Tuesday Evening

Aberdeen Proving Ground was responsible for the loud noises that shook homes for miles around on Tuesday, APG's public affairs chief confirmed Wednesday.

“Last night we were destroying unexploded ordnance, and the way you do that is to attach more ordnance to it and blow it up,” George Mercer said. “We made more noise than we should have.”

APG is a United States Army installation established in 1917, just six months after America entered World War I. Essentially a city-within-a-city, the base in Aberdeen comprises more than 72,000 acres that span Aberdeen and Edgewood. APG is the oldest active proving ground primarily used to test ordnance, firearms and ammunition.

“At any given time, people may hear us,” Mercer said. “In this case we probably could have done a better job of planning.”

Many reported hearing loud blasts just after 6 p.m. Houses shook and some wondered what was going on. The base received the most inquiries from the Joppatowne and Edgewood areas. But there also were calls from Baltimore County, and the blasts could be heard as far away as Delaware, according to published reports. Mercer said the ordnance was detonated at 6:03 p.m.

 “We did it safely and effectively but it either disturbed or upset or raised questions with a number of people,” Mercer said.

Mercer said that anyone who has concerns about the noises or who may have suffered property damage from the blasts can contact him directly to discuss the matter or file damage claims. Mercer can be reached at 1-800-688-8705.