A World War II-era hand grenade was found at an Ashland Goodwill over the weekend.
Ashland Police Lieutenant Brandon Marten says a manager found the grenade in a bin of donated items Saturday.
"The belief, according to our investigation at this point, is that maybe someone was cleaning out an attic," said Marten. "They put a box in donation, they didn't check it, and they walked away."
The police department and fire department responded to the scene. The store was evacuated and the Marathon County Bomb Squad was called in.
They determined it to be a Japanese Type 99 grenade.
"Their opinion was that if it was a live grenade, that it would likely be very unstable," Marten explained. "They took that grenade and transported it to a safe area and detonated."
Based on the explosion after detonation of the grenade, they believed it to be live prior to that point.
The bomb squad commander, Detective Mike Allard, says that his eight-person team responds to dozens of calls each year.
His biggest advice to anyone when handling something potentially dangerous?
"I don't want them to handle it. That's the easiest way I can do it," Allard said. "So, what I would like them to do is leave it where it is, call their local authorities, whether that's Marathon County. That would be the sheriff's office, depending on where you live. Or whatever jurisdiction that they live in. Give their agency a call. They can then request our team."
The Marathon County Bomb Squad covers most of the northwest corner of the state.
Ashland PD and the bomb squad both say these kinds of calls aren't uncommon, though live explosives aren't always involved.
However, they treat every situation as if the items in-question are live.
