Ammunition 'explodes' after falling off army truck

Ammunition rounds that were scattered on a remote part of the Napier-Taihape Road after an ammunition case fell off the back of an army truck today. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The army is investigating how a box of blank ammunition fell off the back of one of its trucks, and one of the rounds that spilled on the road was run over by a car.

Police were called to a remote part of the Napier-Taihape Road in the Hawke's Bay about 11.35am today after reports that ammunition "exploded" after falling off the back of an army truck.

Major Kristian Dunne confirmed a steel ammunition box fell off the truck, which was on its way to the Port of Napier, but it contained blank ammunition and the incident posed no danger to the public.

The spilled rounds had been cleaned up and the army would conduct a full investigation into the incident, he said.

- NZPA