May 27--Norwalk residents found a World War II-era grenade in their back yard Saturday, prompting authorities to call in the Ashland County bomb squad.
The Norwalk fire and police departments arrived at 11 Old Orchard Loop at 12:20 p.m. Firefighters secured the area with police for citizens' safety and had the bomb squad called to the scene.
"It had a handle on it, indicating it was possibly a training grenade," said Capt. Dan Hunt, of the fire department.
Hunt said first-responders called in the bomb squad because it's possible someone could have swapped out the handle.
Police Sgt. Tom Cook, who was at the scene, said it was a World War II-era, inert training grenade.
"The bomb squad said even with those grenades, they could have some charges. They made the decision to take it to our training range and do a controlled detonation," Cook said.
It's unknown how long the grenade had been buried in the yard.
"They dug it up in their backyard. I think they were digging up the yard to install a patio or to do some landscaping," Hunt said, referring to the residents.
"Before houses were there, it was a field," Cook said about the Old Orchard Loop area. "It's a newer development there."
Members of the bomb squad transported the grenade to the Norwalk reservoir to blow it up.
"It was what they referred to as a pineapple-style grenade. I don't know the age of it," Hunt said.
Firefighters were at the scene about 41 minutes.
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