WWII hand grenades prompt Globe neighborhood evacuation

Evacuations lifted after 3 WWII grenades safely removed from Globe

The evacuations that were in place Monday for downtown Globe have been lifted, after police said three World War II-era weapons were brought to the front steps of police headquarters. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean reports.

GLOBE, Ariz. - For most of the day on Dec. 15., a portion of Globe was closed off due to the presence of World War II-era weapons brought right to the front steps of the Globe Police Department. Evacuations and road closures were lifted in downtown Monday evening. 

The backstory:

According to officials, an area resident found the grenades, and brought them to police headquarters at the corner of Cedar and Pine, where they sat the entire day before Luke Air Force Base members arrived to take them away. 

Two of the hand grenades were brought to the police headquarters in downtown Globe. A third was found by investigators at the property of the resident who found the first two. 

City officials had posted on Facebook the following closures on Monday:

• Pine Street, from Mesquite to Oak Street
• Veteran's Park

What they're saying:

Globe Fire Chief Gary Robinson said just because the fragmentation devices are decades old does not mean they are not dangerous. Rather, they are more unpredictable due to their age, making it even more important for military personnel themselves to handle them.

"It's nice to have the town back to normal operations. It did impact our city hall for a good part of the day so we'll be able to get people back to normal business in the morning," Robinson said. "Definitely leave it where it's at. Leave it where it's at, make a phone call, we can send people out, either PD or fire, they can take a look if need be they'll secure it and call in the experts to deal with that."

He said all the evacuations and closures are now lifted,  and thanked the community for its patience.

This is not the first time Chief Robinson said they've dealt with this kind of potential emergency in recent years, but he says there is no obvious reason why these hand grenades would be in someone's yard.

Parts of Globe evacuated after grenade finds

Some Globe residents have evacuated the downtown area as several military-grade hand grenades were found as a man was doing yard work at his home. FOX 10's Kenzie Beach reports.

Dig deeper:

The level of precaution taken was essential, according to retired ATF Special Agent Bernard Zapor.

"Any time you come across even suspected ordnance of any kind, we caution people to treat them as if they are just as dangerous as the day they were manufactured," Zapor said.

Zapor says the pineapple-like appearance of the World War II grenades makes the grenade body itself an extra danger.

"It has the square pieces on the outside. The reason for that is it's intended that when it detonates, that those break off and become shrapnel," Zapor said. 

What we know:

The two fragmentation devices, along with a third located in the resident's yard by authorities, were taken from the scene just before 5 p.m. Zapor offered insight into how that process works.

"They might do some things to secure it and transport it probably in a thing called a bomb vessel, which is a strange-looking kettle device usually hauled on a trailer so if it does detonate, it is not going to go anywhere except for up a chimney and the explosive forces go out," he said.

What you can do:

Chief Robinson said the age of the weapons makes them unpredictable, and he wants residents to be extra cautious around any potential explosive.

"Definitely leave it where it's at. Leave it where's it's at, make a phone call, we can send people out either PD or Fire, they can take a look, if need be they'll secure it and call in the experts again to deal with that," Robinson said.

What's next:

The individual who found them is fully cooperating with the investigation and is not facing any further questioning. We have also learned that officials are looking into the property to see if there are more.

Globe police don't believe that there is any criminal behavior going on, but they did say that they don't know any obvious reason why these hand grenades would end up on someone's property.

Area of the closure