Bomb squad responds to call about mortar rounds

A woman cleaning out a shed in her backyard found two old mortar rounds, prompting a response by the bomb squad and Nellis Air Force Base Sunday afternoon.

The military-grade devices were found about 1:45 p.m. at a home on the 1100 block of Sharon Road, near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Washington Avenue, according to Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski.

Authorities determined the devices appeared to be "really old" souvenirs that were largely harmless, he said. The mortar rounds were flares designed to light up the battlefield, not bombs designed to explode on impact.

Because the devices might still have residue that could be dangerous, experts from Nellis retrieved the items and planned to dispose of them.

A family member of the woman might have collected the devices, Szymanski said. She called police when she found them.

The discovery was not unusual, Szymanski said. He said the Las Vegas Fire Department Bomb Squad often responds to calls from people who find hollowed-out grenades, ammunition or other potentially dangerous items when searching through the belongings of a deceased loved one.

He said people should leave the items alone and call the fire department to dispose of them.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.