Grenade obtained in 1945 found in Van Buren County basement, safely dismantled

A grenade that family members said was obtained by their father in 1945 was found in a basement in Paw Paw Township, Michigan, on Saturday, the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office said.

The family was cleaning out the basement when they found the device, according to officials. Deputies and other emergency personnel responded to the home after a dispatcher learned about the discovery around 12:20 p.m.

The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Bomb Squad responded to the scene after law enforcement couldn't determine whether the grenade was live, officials said. Members of the group used X-ray equipment to examine the device before safely dismantling it.

Military ammunition and other potentially explosive devices can be dangerous for decades after they're made, the sheriff's office said. Anyone who discovers a suspicious item is asked to move away from the area where it's found, keep others away from it and call 911.

Paw Paw Township is around 22 miles southwest of Kalamazoo, Michigan.