A suspicious device was discovered near a city center today, leading to a lockdown by the authorities and the establishment of a 400-meter safety perimeter. The incident occurred in the Millbay area of Plymouth, where the suspected ordnance was unearthed at a construction site on Martin Street.
Following the discovery, a school and a hotel were evacuated, and residents within the safety perimeter were advised to vacate their homes while Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts dealt with the object buried approximately five meters underground during construction activities.
Due to the ongoing operation and the safety cordon in place, further updates are temporarily on hold. For real-time breaking news updates, please visit our website.
Millbay Academy has confirmed its closure for the following day, with plans to shift to remote learning. The local council specified that a 100-meter firm cordon remains around the construction site, with an additional 400-meter ‘line of sight’ cordon introduced by the police, prompting a few residential properties along Millbay Road to be advised to evacuate.
While evacuation is not mandatory, residents in the affected properties are strongly encouraged to relocate for their own safety. Support services, including an Evacuation Assembly Point at Plymouth Cathedral, have been made available for those in need of temporary accommodation.
The school near the incident that was evacuated may remain closed the next day, pending further updates to be communicated directly to parents. Specialist teams are actively assessing the discovered explosive to determine the safest approach to render it harmless.
The investigative team reported that the ordnance was located approximately 4.3 meters deep in natural soil beneath man-made materials at the site. Following a controlled excavation, the police and Royal Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team were called in to assess the situation.
As the EOD team deliberates on the next steps, sandbags have been delivered to the location of the device. Meanwhile, Millbay Academy expressed gratitude for the community’s cooperation and assured ongoing communication with the local authorities.
Plymouth Live reporter Carl Eve provided updates from the scene, highlighting road closures and the extensive police presence to maintain security measures. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the ongoing investigation into the suspected ordnance found at the construction site on Martin Street, urging the public to avoid the area until the situation is resolved.