The discovery of a fully-charged hand grenade in the backyard of a Bloomingdale home Monday led to a shelter-in-place at a local middle school as well as the evacuation of nearby homes.

According to Bloomingdale police, officers responded to the Walter Drive home Monday morning and determined that the object appeared to be a real hand grenade. "Out of an abundance of caution," the Walter T. Bergen Middle School was asked to shelter in place, and neighboring homes were evacuated.

Members of the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad responded and confirmed that the device was a live, fully-charged grenade. The device was removed from the location without incident, Bloomingdale police said, adding that there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Police believe the grenade is an "older style" device that was left on the property by a World War II veteran who previously lived in the home. "“We understand incidents like this can be alarming for residents,"

Bloomingdale Police Chief Daniel Greenwood said in a statement. "I want to reassure the community that there is no ongoing threat, and the device was safely removed through coordinated efforts with our County partners. Our officers acted swiftly and followed established safety protocols, including evacuations and school sheltering, to ensure the well-being of the public. The successful outcome reflects the professionalism and preparedness of everyone involved.”