Police Respond to Report of Possible Hand Grenade Discovered in Hilo

The discovery of a possible hand grenade Friday, March 18, in Hilo caused an evacuation of the area and response from the Hawai‘i Police Department’s bomb squad.

According to a media release from the police department, at 10:45 a.m. Friday, South Hilo patrol officers responded to a call about the discovery in the 500 block of Kanoelehua Avenue. An excavation company came across the device while digging a hole for a utility pole.

Responding officers, after determining the device resembled an old military-style hand grenade, evacuated the immediate area and contacted the police department’s bomb squad.

Upon the bomb squad’s arrival, a partial road closure of the northbound lane of Kanoelehua Avenue was implemented. According to the release, bomb squad technicians determined the grenade was safe to be moved and took it to a disposal range for destruction.

No other ordnance was located in the area. There were no injuries in the incident.

Police remind Big Island residents who might find explosives to leave them alone and immediately call 911 or the police department’s nonemergency line at 808-935-3311.