Concerns over potential live mortar leads to evacuation
BURLINGTON, IA. -- Some residents in Burlington Iowa had a bit of a scare on Wednesday.
The Burlington Hawkeye newspaper reports that emergency responders had to close off and evacuate homes in the 200 block of Agency street along with a nearby gas station after what was believed to be a live mortar round was discovered around 4:45 Wednesday night.
The round was discovered in the home of woman who died last December.
Fire Chief Tom Clements told the Hawkeye that someone in the home had probably tried to dismantle it for a planned estate sale this weekend when they discovered it was a live round.
A bomb squad task force from Des Moines, Iowa arrived around 11 p.m. and the barricades were taken down around 11:45 p.m.
It is believed that the mortar dates back to 1943.
According to one family member, it had been sitting around in the family's home for decades.
You can read the complete report from the Burlington Hawkeye here: www.thehawkeye.com/story/bomb-060211
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