It was safely detonated on the beach. WFLA’s Chip Osowski reports.

PASS-A-GRILLE BEACH, Fla. – An object that Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Florida is calling possible military ordnance has forced the evacuation of a beach Sunday.

The bomb squad turned to MacDill Air Force Base’s explosive ordnance disposal team for further assistance. A beachgoer spotted it and notified authorities.

In the hours leading up to the destination, a bulldozer was brought it to erect protective sand barriers around three sea turtle nests located nearby, the closest one just 10 feet away from the old bomb.

The discovery of the object on St. Pete Beach prompted authorities to evacuate the area and set up a 300-yard perimeter, forcing some people to leave their homes.

“We are operating at this point with an abundance of caution to make sure everyone is protected and safe”, St. Pete Beach Mayor Maria Lowe told reporters, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The sheriff’s office said its bomb squad was summoned to examine the cylinder, which “appeared to have been submerged for a significant period of time”.

“Nothing ever happens out here”.

“When the bomb functions, it emits a large flash light (i.e., like a giant flashbulb on a[n] old style camera) and was used in early years to provide illumination for aerial night photography”.

The Times reported that this flash bomb specifically had candlepower of 45 million.

The bomb after the explosion. She said the nonprofit group Sea Turtle Trackers was on hand to monitor the nests.