SALT LAKE CITY — With many Americans on edge over possible retaliation efforts following the U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, it's no surprise that FOX 13 News has received dozens of calls over concerning "booms" heard in the Salt Lake Valley on Monday.
However, Utahns can breathe easier knowing that the explosions heard in the distance are nothing to be concerned about; instead, they're simply detonations taking place at the Tooele Army Depot.
As it has for the last few weeks, the facility is conducting open detonation operations, with the tests happening at the South Area range on Monday.
The detonations, while planned, have rattled hundreds, if not thousands, of Utah residents, especially as they occur at the same time as an Iranian attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.
"You guys need a better way of getting the word out, especially with how strong these blasts are!" one person wrote on social media.
Hill Air Force Base is also conducting open detonation demilitarization operations to destroy old or obsolete munitions.
"We understand that the sounds and vibrations that were experienced today surprised people and were scary," the depot posted to social media. "We know that these types of things can be concerning to some people. It’s not something that they experience every day.
"Tooele Army Depot is tasked with destroying the Nation’s old, obsolete, and unsafe munitions. We do that to ensure our Warfighters have the best tools to use when needed.
"The operations we conducted today are something that we do every year and have done since WWII. We are permitted to conduct open detonations from April through October."
