Quick Facts
- Location: Jena, district of Lobeda-West
- Event: Discovery of a grenade-like object on a playground
- Discovered by: Children at play
- Measures: Cordoning off by police, inspection by explosive ordnance disposal service
- Status: All-clear – it was a practice grenade
Jena. It is every parent’s nightmare: a child playing innocently in a sandbox suddenly holds a potentially lethal object in their hand. This exact scenario caused excitement and a police operation last Sunday morning in the Jena district of Lobeda-West.
The discovery in the sandbox
As the Jena police reported, children were busy digging in the sand at a local playground. Instead of roots or stones, however, they unearthed a metallic object that clearly did not belong on a children’s playground. A father present immediately recognized the danger: the object had the typical shape of a hand grenade.
The man reacted in an exemplary manner. He prevented the children from further handling the object and immediately called the emergency services. The situation at the playground, a place that stands for safety and lightheartedness, suddenly turned into concern.
Specialists give the all-clear
The arriving officers from the Jena inspection service were able to confirm the father’s assessment during an initial inspection. Since it can never be ruled out with such finds that they are live ammunition from World War II or old military stocks, no risks were taken. The area around the discovery site was cordoned off over a wide area to protect passers-by and residents.
The Kampfmittelräumdienst (KMRD) was requested for final clarification. The experts for explosive disposal examined the corroded object in detail. Fortunately, the all-clear could be given quickly: the find was a practice hand grenade. These usually contain no explosives but serve training purposes, though they can look deceptively similar to real weapons.
Important topic: Military legacies in Thüringen
Even though it was “only” practice ammunition in this case, the incident shows how present military legacies can still be decades after the end of the world wars or the withdrawal of Soviet forces. Especially in spring, when construction work begins or children play outside more frequently, such reports increase.
Experts urgently advise exercising the utmost caution when finding any ammunition-like objects – no matter how old or rusty they look. Rusty casings can be deceptive; ignition mechanisms can still trigger after 80 years due to vibrations or temperature changes.
How to react correctly:
- Do not touch: Leave the object exactly where it is.
- Do not move: Under no circumstances should you attempt to transport the object yourself or take it to the police.
- Keep your distance: Warn other people nearby and maintain a safety distance.
- Call emergency services: Inform the police at 110.
The object from Lobeda-West was professionally recovered and transported away by the specialists. For the families on site, the Sunday scare ended mildly, and the playground is now available again for its actual purpose: safe play.
Sources:
Original
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.