Military-style grenade unearthed when utility crew digs hole in Hawaii, cops say

Workers trying to put in a utility pole unearthed a military-style grenade, Hawaii police said.

An excavation crew was digging a hole to put in a utility pole in South Hilo on Friday, March 18, the Hawaii Police Department said. They discovered something that looked like a hand grenade.

“Determining that the device resembled an old military-style hand grenade, responding officers conducted an evacuation of the immediate area and contacted the department’s bomb squad,” police said in a news release.

The road in the area was shut down when the bomb squad arrived. Officials examined the device to see if it was safe to be moved.

“Bomb squad technicians determined the hand grenade was safe to be moved for disposal and took it to a disposal range for destruction,” police said. “No other ordnance was located in the area.”

No one was injured after the grenade was found, police said. Authorities advise people who find potential explosives to leave them alone and call police immediately.

Hand grenades can be filled with live explosive material, even after years. They can be sensitive to heat and friction, according to The New York Times.

This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 7:42 AM with the headline "Military-style grenade unearthed when utility crew digs hole in Hawaii, cops say."