Lebanon, Ohio Local authorities were alerted after the discovery of a World War-era grenade, prompting the Butler County bomb squad to respond. The incident began when the Lebanon Police Department was notified about the grenade, which was reported to be intact. According to Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, the grenade belonged to the grandfather of the individual who initially reported its presence; this grandfather served in World War II.
Primm Springs, Tennessee The Maury County Fire Department (MCFD) Special Operations Chief responded to a wooded area off a Tennessee road after old dynamite was discovered. Engine 31 and the Special Operations Chief stood by while awaiting the Tennessee Highway Patrol Bomb Squad to respond to safely neutralized the explosives on site.
Residents were reminded to never handle suspected explosives and to call authorities immediately for proper disposal. Officials explained that aging dynamite can become highly unstable and pose a serious risk if moved or disturbed.
Douglas County, Colorado The Douglas County Bomb Squad had an opportunity to utilize their bomb disposal robot after being called in to dispose of old dynamite found in a Colorado shed, once belonging to a construction company owner.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO), the dynamite was found in a metal container inside a residential shed. A spokesperson for office said, dynamite "can become extremely unstable with age."
The bomb squad rolled out "Johnny 5-0" for the removal operation, an Andros Spartan robot. The robot was remotely operated to grab the dynamite and move it to a pre-dug blast pit where it was countercharged with an explosive charge in a controlled detonation.
Blanchester, Ohio Putman Elementary in Blanchester was evacuated after a student brought ordnance to school. Police, fire, and EMS responded to the scene, according to Blanchester Police Chief Robert J. Houghton.
The student reportedly told authorities he found the item while playing in his yard. It was deemed inert after the responding Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad x-rayed the unidentified munition, according to Houghton.
Authorities thanked Blanchester Local Schools for their swift response, as well as the Blanchester Fire and EMS and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad for their assistance in what could have been a life-threatening situation.
Chicago, Illinois The Chicago Police Bomb Squad responded to Original Jimmy's Red Hots hot dog stand in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago for reports of a "suspicious object" found in a bag. An update from police later indicated that the object was a hand grenade.
The Bomb Squad safely removed the device to determine if it was inert or active, but they were treating it as live until it could be evaluated. There was no indication where the munition came from or how long it had been at the stand.
West Paris, Maine The Oxford County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from the Maine State Police Bomb Squad after responding to a report of a possible UXO in a West Paris home. Once on the scene, they identified the munition as an MK2 "Pineapple" grenade.
Bomb technicians x-rayed the ordnance and found "characteristics consistent with a grenade still containing energetic material," according to state police. The item was safely removed for disposal.
State police said that the person who reported the grenade told them it most likely came from a family member who served during WII or the Korean War.
Medford, Massachusetts military ordnance thrown out with the trash prompted a response from Massachusetts State Police, Medford police, and Medford firefighters. The ordnance was discovered behind a trash can, according to Massachusetts State Police Director of Media Communications Dave Procopio.
Bellevue, Washington The Bellevue Police Department received a concerning call from the Air Force museum in Dayton, Ohio who reported that they received a call from a man looking to donate a Cold War era rocket to the museum.
Police tracked down the man who made the call and discovered that he purchased the item from an estate sale of deceased man. Police were dispatched to investigate the item along with members of the local bomb squad.
Bloomington, Illinois The Springfield bomb squad was called to downtown Bloomington for reports of a suspected UXO. According to Bloomington Police Department Spokesman Officer Bryce Janssen, police were called to the 400 block of East Washington Street, where a person had located a suspicious device on the ground.
The Illinois Secretary of State Police Hazardous Device Unit responded to the scene where the area around the ordnance was cordoned off. Janssen said they suspected it was a WWII-era .50 caliber mortar from Japan, but it was deemed inert and safely removed. No indication was given as to how the ordnance ended up on the street.
Bath Township, Michigan Michigan State Police (MSP) were called into a self-storage business in Bath Township after what appeared to be an UXO was found in an abandoned storage unit. The MSP bomb squad identified the object as a non-explosive device. The device was safe to handle since it did not contain any energetic material. An MSP officer even posed for a photo with the item.
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