Workers with the City of Gainesville, Water Department, working on a water line on Atlanta Highway near Norton Circle at approximately 11:30 AM this morning uncovered a Vietnam era hand grenade.
Deputies, along with the Hall County Fire Department, responded to the scene and cordoned off the area. The GBI Bomb Squad along with a Military Explosive Unit from Fort Gilliam responded and determined the device to be an active grenade. However, the grenade did not have a detonator capable of activating the grenade.
The grenade was transported to the Hall County Sheriff's Office Firing Range and destroyed by the GBI Bomb Squad along with a Military Explosive Unit from Fort Gilliam.
There were no injuries and Atlanta Hwy was closed from Spouts Springs Road to Wade Orr Road for approximately 2 and a half hours.
The incident remains under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff's Office, the GBI, and the United States Military.
1st Lieutenant Jeff Strickland
Uniform Patrol Division
Hall County Sheriff's Office