Routine Tooele Army Depot Detonations Cause Loud Booms Across Salt Lake Valley

Sep 19, 2024, 06:58 PM

Residents across the Salt Lake Valley reported hearing multiple loud booms on Thursday, which were later confirmed to be detonations from the Tooele Army Depot. The detonations were part of the depot's routine operations to dispose of expired military munitions. The loud noises, which were heard from Kaysville in Davis County to Provo in Utah County, prompted hundreds of calls to emergency services. The Sandy Police Department initially attributed the sounds to artillery exercises at Camp Williams, but it was later clarified that the booms originated from the Tooele Army Depot. Officials noted that the sounds traveled more than usual due to ground moisture and cloudless skies. There was no threat to the public from these detonations. The Wasatch Front experienced the booms, leading to 1,384 calls to the SLC emergency communications center in one hour.