The Wright-Patterson Explosive Ordnance Disposal team safely removed an artillery shell, "probably World War II generation," from a residence just north of Arcanum on Tuesday afternoon.
Darke County sheriff's deputies and Arcanum fire & rescue were dispatched to the 3800 block of Drew Road just after 4 p.m. after receiving a call about possible live ordnance in the home, Deputy Sheriff Mark Whittaker said.
The woman who lives at the address was speaking with her son about the July 4 holiday and fireworks when she mentioned she had some kind of military weapons in her one-story ranch home.
She and the son were evacuated, Whittaker said, while surrounding residents were told to shelter in place.
The Wright-Patt team was called when deputies found what "did appear to be a possible live ordnance," Whittaker said.
The ordnance is believed to be a World War II vintage artillery shell measuring 12 inches long and 3 inches in diameter. A "fuse-like device... other small arms ammunition, like rifle rounds and stuff like that" were found in a cardboard box, he said.
The items had been in the house a number of years, Whittaker said, noting, "it's all older stuff...probably World War II generation. This probably was innocently brought back from World War II.... This is not an uncommon incident."
The concern was that the age of the shell could make it unstable, the deputy sheriff said.
The team destroyed the ordnance at the Darke County sheriff's shooting range, a base official said.
