DRACUT — Fire Chief Richard Patterson and Police Chief Peter Bartlett report that the Dracut Fire and Police Departments responded Tuesday to an incident in which a teenager fished a smoke grenade out of Beaver Brook.
On Tuesday, July 30, at approximately 11:17 a.m., the Dracut Police and Fire Departments were notified that a teenager pulled what appeared to be a smoke grenade out of Beaver Brook while magnet fishing off the Parker Avenue Bridge.
Dracut Firefighters responded and confirmed the boy had fished a possible smoke grenade out of the brook. Dracut Fire immediately contacted the Massachusetts State Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team attached the State Fire Marshal’s Office to assist.
Members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team responded to the scene and conducted a controlled detonation of the smoke grenade out of an abundance of caution.
“Folks need to be very cautious when participating in this type of fishing. This is a first for Dracut, but there have been several instances of ordnance being pulled up from lake and river bottoms across the Commonwealth,” said Chief Patterson. “These devices can become extremely unstable with age and corrosion. Should a device be found, 911 should be called immediately so that professionals can properly dispose of it.”
