Ansonia Police Department
The object found at Ansonia Public Works on Tuesday morning.
ANSONIA – State police were called and the Ansonia public works facility was closed on July 9 after employees stumbled upon an object “resembling a grenade.”
An employee found the object in the grass just inside the main entrance, near the road, at about 8:30 a.m. and called Ansonia police. The fire marshal’s office and Connecticut State Police were called as well.
The facility was closed in the morning while investigators assessed the object. State police classified the object as a homemade explosive and destroyed it on-site at about 1 p.m.
Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch told The Valley Indy that the object was likely an attempt at a firework.
“It was probably an attempt to make some kind of a homemade firework, but a very poor attempt, let’s put it that way,” Lynch said.
There is no remaining danger from the object, and the public works facility will re-open at its regular time at 6 a.m. on Wednesday (July 10), according to a police Facebook post.
July is fireworks season, and it’s important to follow safety precautions when dealing with them. Last year, there were 6400 fireworks-related injuries in the U.S. in the month surrounding July 4, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Last month, three people in Shelton lost their home after fireworks stored in their garage ignited in a blaze that rendered the house unfit for occupancy.
Lynch said Ansonia police will be reviewing camera footage maintained by public works. Anyone with information should call police at 203 735 1885. Ansonia police also have an anonymous tip app.
