Deadly Flares Lost After Milwaukee Military Drill, Coast Guard Warns

MILWAUKEE, WI — The U.S. Coast Guard Sector of Lake Michigan is warning the public about three unaccounted-for phosphorus pyrotechnics in the Milwaukee area.

Beachgoers are urged to stay clear and call 911 if they spot a silver-colored cylinder along the shoreline (seen above).

The devices are phosphorus flares that emit red smoke and flames reaching temperatures up to 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit, authorities siad.

They were deployed during a joint Coast Guard and Air Force military exercise held offshore from Milwaukee earlier in May. Authorities say four flares failed to activate upon entering the water and are still considered armed.

One was found on Montrose Beach in Illinois by a lifeguard on May 26. The other three remain missing.