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7 WWII bombs dug up
A member of the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Hazmat/Explosive Response Team retrieves one of the seven unexploded World War II bombs that were found during the excavation at the construction site of the Saipan Globe Hotel project in San Roque yesterday. (Derek Gersonde)
Seven unexploded World War II bombs were found yesterday at the construction site of Saipan Global Hotel, located south of the Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School in San Roque.
Construction workers dug up the ordnance during excavation at the construction site of the hotel project.
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Hazmat/Explosive Response Team responded to the site.
According to DFEMS spokesman Derek Gersonde, four bombs were found buried one foot underground by the beach side.
A survey of the area turned up three more unexploded ordnances, found buried in the subsurface within the same proximity they were excavating.
Gersonde said a total of seven 150-lb World War II Japanese naval land bombs were secured at 12:30pm yesterday and relocated to the bomb pit in Marpi.
The bombs were unearthed as Saipan International Group Ltd. started the construction of its Saipan Globe Hotel, which will reportedly be made up of 438 hotel rooms and villas at the 4.1-hectare beachfront property.
In December 2017, the Commonwealth Development Authority granted Saipan International Group Ltd. a qualifying certificate that would allow it to avail of $10 million tax breaks during its construction and operational phases.
