BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -
More and more damaged buildings are coming down in Biloxi in conjunction with the city's program to demolish damaged structures.
Contractor Michael Wood was hired to level the old Melvin's Plumbing Supply building on Howard Avenue. During the course of taking the main structure down, Wood made an interesting discovery.
"We found an old bomb shelter," said Wood.
Like many American families during the early 1950s Cold War era, the Melvin family built a bomb shelter behind the business. Wood said the shelter was constructed with fortification in mind.
"It was built with concrete walls with dirt in the middle. Four feet of dirt and a foot of concrete on each side. The top was built the same way."
Inside, there were electric lights and outlets. The shelter also had two commodes, several bunks, an air filtration system and a well water pump system in the air tight steel, concrete and dirt structure.
Michael Wood has demolished many different commercial and residential buildings over the years, and has stumbled on to some unusual things along the way.
"I've run into a lot of strange stuff. I did demolition work after the hurricane. One building I tore down, money fell out of the walls."
But this is the first bomb shelter Wood has encountered, and he's impressed.
"I'd like to have one in my backyard myself."
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