Live ordnance found at two Maine locations over weekend

The mortar round found in Bowdoinham (MSP photo)

BOWDOINHAM, Maine - Two military-grade weapons were discovered over the weekend in Maine communities.

On Saturday around 2:25 p.m. the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from the Maine State Police Bomb Squad after they responded to a complaint of an individual who found a possible mortar round on their property on White Road in Bowdoinham.

MSP Bomb Technicians arrived on scene and identified the item as an 81MM M374 mortar round, according to a Dept. of Safety press release. X-ray analyses showed indicators of the item being potentially hazardous, prompting the ordnance to be removed and rendered safe in a secure location.

About an hour later in Winslow the Winslow Fire and Police Department responded to a residence on Main Street for a report of a hand grenade that was located while the complainant was cleaning out the residence.

The Maine State Police Bomb Squad again responded to the scene where the grenade was identified as a live standard MK2 hand grenade from the WWII or Korean War era. The grenade was removed from the residence to be rendered safe in a secure location.