Imagine cleaning your house and stumbling upon… a hand grenade! This is exactly what happened to a resident of Valsequillo in Gran Canaria, who was tidying up the attic of her house when she made the discovery.
The Guardia Civil have released details of the incident that occurred last Tuesday (23rd July) when they received a call from a woman saying she had discovered a military-style hand grenade in her attic whilst cleaning.
Recognising the potential danger of having a weapon like this in a private home, officers quickly head to the address given to address the situation. Once there, they immediately established a security perimeter and evacuated the properties around to ensure no one was at risk.
The Guardia Civil Bomb Disposal Unit (TEDAX) were also dispatched to the home and, after a thorough examination, confirmed that the device was indeed a military hand grenade, specifically an Instalaza Alhambra training grenade, which fortunately lacked an explosive charge. Due to this, they were able to safely remove the grenade and take it away for subsequent destruction.
The Guardia Civil has issued the following safety measures if such ammunition is found:
- Do not handle the device and prevent others from doing so.
- Avoid being overly confident based on the appearance of the found item (rusty, corroded, etc.).
- Clearly mark the location (with stones, branches, etc.) to prevent the device from being covered.
- Notify the Guardia Civil as quickly as possible.
- Avoid and discourage the collection of such items due to their latent danger.
- Do not trust advice from people claiming to know about such material from past experience, only listen to the professionals.
This incident underscores the importance of caution and proper procedure when dealing with potentially hazardous materials.
