Instead of mushrooms, Austrian finds grenade

VIENNA (AP) — An Austrian on a woodland search for mushrooms came home with a more dangerous find — a grenade that police say could have been set off by the slightest movement.

Police were called by the son of the unidentified 66-year old man who found the grenade and took it home. Explosives experts subsequently evacuated neighboring houses and exploded the device early Tuesday.

The experts say that the grenade already had been fired from a launcher. Although it did not explode on impact, its fuse was damaged, meaning even a slight movement could have led to a blast.

Police are investigating how the grenade ended up in the patch of forest about 150 kilometers (90 miles) west of Vienna.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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