The U.S. Coast Guard warned Lake Michigan beachgoers Tuesday to be cautious of three missing phosphorus pyrotechnics after one washed up on Montrose Beach on Monday.
These phosphorus pyrotechnics — silver-shaped cylinders that produce a red smoke and flame that can reach temperatures of 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit — were part of a joint military exercise earlier this month with the Coast Guard and Air Force off the shore of Milwaukee.
The Coast Guard said during the exercise, four phosphorous pyrotechnics did not activate when they entered the water. These flares are considered armed when they do not activate.
Anyone who finds a silver-shaped cylinder is instructed to stay clear and call 911.
