Woman hurt by exploding practice grenade in Hightstown, NJ

☑️ A grenade exploded, sending a woman to a hospital

☑️ The apartment is less than a half mile from Hightstown High School

HIGHTSTOWN — The State Police bomb squad was called to an apartment complex Monday morning after a practice grenade exploded, leaving a woman with a stomach injury.

Hightstown police Lt. Benjamin L. Miller said a 39-year-old resident of the Deerfield/Westerlea Arms Apartment complex on Westerlea Avenue made her way to the rental office with severe stomach pain around 11:40 a.m. After being treated on site, the woman was taken to Capital Health-Fuld Campus in Trenton with non-life-threatening injuries.

The bomb squad, Hightstown Fire Department and First Aid Squad were called to the complex and the immediate area was evacuated as a precaution.

The bomb squad gave the all-clear after they determined the device was a practice grenade that still had a fuse, which caused the detonation when the pin was removed or tampered with.

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Warning about inert devices

The complex is located at the opposite end of Westerlea Avenue from Hightstown High School.

"This is a reminder for all that devices that seem inert or safe, may not be, and have the potential for serious injuries. Anyone that comes in possession of such devices should contact their local police department, and/or the State Police bomb squad to assure the devices are safe," Miller said.

No residents or first responders were injured, according to Miller.

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