Find of device that looked like military mortar causes scare

Authorities say a device found in the debris of a garage fire in Ashland that looked like a military mortar round turned out to be a harmless training round.

Firefighters in the northwestern Wisconsin city discovered the device Friday and weren’t sure whether it was a live round or not. As a precaution, homes within a two-block radius were evacuated.

The Ashland Fire Department says four members of a National Guard military ordnance disposal unit from Duluth, Minnesota, came to investigate.

Fire Capt. Dave Wegener says they determined it was just a practice round, with no explosive charge. The team removed it and disposed of it.

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