North Carolina man finds WWII-era mortar round in basement

DURHAM, N.C. — A North Carolina man’s discovery of a World War II-era mortar round in his home Sunday prompted police to close several area roads.

Dr. Ralph Haynes, of Durham, told WTVD that he found the 60 mm mortar round from 1942 behind a pillar in a basement crawl space during a home renovation project. Haynes said he believes the shell had probably been there since the 1950s, based on the old air-conditioning unit it was near.

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Haynes said the mortar round still had its firing pin intact, so he carefully moved it to a separate garage before calling the Durham Police Department, which later informed the Durham County Bomb Squad.

The removal by the bomb squad prompted street closures for nearly two hours. Haynes said he felt bad for his neighbors who were unable to get home because the roads were blocked.