Elk Valley RCMP has confirmed that Canadian Armed Forces specialists removed a dead grenade from a city back yard May 15.

A Fernie resident digging in their garden came upon the device and alerted RCMP.

Elk Valley RCMP Sgt. Will Thien confirmed the extraction May 16.

“It certainly resembled a grenade that is referred to as a ‘Mills Bomb’ – a typical hand grenade you would see in a movie. My understanding is that it was a real grenade; however, the core and detonator were removed therefore it was only a shell,” Sgt. Thien told e-KNOW.

RCMP followed strict protocol when learning of the grenade, he explained.

“Since the item was a military style ‘hand grenade,’ that fell under the Canadian Armed Forces’ jurisdiction; hence the wait for them to attend to deal with this.”

Incredibly, it is not uncommon for people to come upon old grenades in Canada.

“It is also my understanding that they (Canadian military) respond to about 150 to 160 of these cases per year nation wide,” Thien said.

Above photo: RCMP cordoned off the area around the property, between 1st and 2nd Avenue and between 12th & 13th Streets, until the army bomb removal specialists could arrive. Photo courtesy Chris Inglis

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