Planned Explosives Demolition Startles Elk River Residents

ELK RIVER, Minn. (AP) - Loud explosions that could be heard for miles startled some suburban residents northwest of the Twin Cities.

A weapons company, Orbital ATK, detonated the explosives from some old mortars Tuesday afternoon at its 3,000-acre weapons test facility near Elk River.

Company spokesman Jarrod Krull says the planned demolition was louder than residents are used to hearing. The explosions lit up social media, but Krull says contrary to some posts, the explosion was not an accident.

He says neighbors shouldn't expect to hear too many more huge explosions.