The military ordnance that exploded in a Tucson, Arizona, scrapyard and killed a worker was an Mk 82 general-purpose bomb, police said Thursday.
This type of of bomb has a long, streamlined body of varying sizes and destructive capability and can be attached to a variety of aircraft, according to Jane’s International Defence Review.
Police identified the worker killed Wednesday as Daniel Wright, 46.
Police have not said why and how the device ended up in a scrap metal shop.
“The employee worked as a cutter,” police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Bay told CNN. “He was separating metal and cut into a piece that turned out to be military ordnance. No one else was injured.”
Police evacuated the remaining employees, and a bomb squad took over the investigation. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base provided assistance.
OSHA is launching an independent investigation.