Bomb squad called to scrap yard; authorities say related to blast near US 54

Several military ordnances were detonated at a Socorro scrap yard Sunday night.

A spokesman for the city of Socorro told ABC-7 the people involved in Saturday’s explosion near the McGregor Range were the ones who sold the devices to Lucero Scrap on the 10700 block of Alameda Avenue.

“They did tell me to evacuate. I got my family out,” Salvador Sanchez said. He lives next door to the scrap yard.

Otero County Sheriff Benny House said the two who were hurt when an unexploded military ordnance detonated Saturday are mother and daughter. One of the women suffered severe injuries to her legs.

Signs clearly state the McGregor Range complex is military property with unexploded ammunition and trespassers will be prosecuted.

“This is government property that’s used for testing, training,” House said. “These folks are stealing these metals for salvage to make a quick dollar and this is what happens.”

The city of Socorro spokesman said authorities were lead to the business to search for explosives similar to the ones that injured two women picking up scrap metal after a sales receipt was found in the pocket of one of the four people on the explosion scene Saturday.

The case has now been handed over to federal investigators, according to the spokesman.

“Stealing for a living isn’t making a living,” House said. “If they think that picking up live ordnance is some kind of living, you can ask those two women sitting in the hospital if it’s worth it.”

ABC-7 reached out to a UMC spokesman to get the updated condition on the two women hurt, but didn’t hear back by Sunday night.