A Lancaster Township landlord was cleaning out a tenant’s garage in an alley near the intersection at Third Street and South West End Avenue on Tuesday afternoon when he found an explosive military ordnance.
The Pennsylvania State Police bomb squad and U.S. Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team responded alongside Lancaster city police and determined the item was deactivated and that there is no threat or danger to the public.
Lancaster police closed two roads in the western part of the city, on the border with Lancaster Township, and urged residents to avoid the area while disposal teams responded.
Officials began reopening roads around 3:45 p.m.
Lancaster police Sgt. Todd Grager did not have much to share about the nature of the item beyond its military use. He said there was absolutely no danger to the public and that the landlord did the right thing.
“(There’s) no need to cause undue alarm,” Grager said.
Police at the scene confirmed the ordnance was discovered in an alley and was not connected to a property.
The closure was close to Wheatland Middle School and Smith Wade-El Elementary School by Lancaster Community Park, though neither school had to be evacuated.
Police said the Bright Side Opportunities Center, nearly a mile south of the closure, was open to anyone affected by the police activity. A Bright Side staff member said they were not given details about what happened but said residents from the area were sheltering there during the incident.
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Source: American Military News
