Workers discover military stash behind southwest Miami-Dade home

No ammo found

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An explosive alert was issued after workers excavating a pool believed they had discovered an ammunition stash buried behind a southwest Miami-Dade County home.

"When you first started seeing what it was, what did you think?" Local 10 News reporter Carlos Suarez asked the homeowner.

"I said, 'Oh my goodness. Maybe we got to call somebody because there might be explosives down there, you know?" Emilio Doreste said.  

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and a hazmat team were called to the scene at 28362 SW 128th Path after Wednesday morning's discovery.

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman first claimed the ammunition was buried in "doomsday prep style."

However, no ammunition was found and only military items such as parachutes, harnesses and helmets were discovered.

Doreste said there also was something buried in his backyard that might be part of a car. 

The homeowner said the home was built on land that used to belong to the Homestead Air Reserve Base.

"When people start digging these pools, they might find the same thing -- military equipment," Army veteran John McKinley said.  

McKinley, who is Doreste's neighbor, told everyone to walk away from the yard until the military arrived.

"(I told) them to stop because I'm thinking of explosives. First thing that came to my mind because I'm combat," McKinley said.  

The explosive alert has since been canceled.