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What might just be the last active grenade of World War I has just been detonated in the most unlikely of places: a potato shipment in Hong Kong, China.
On the morning of Saturday, February 2nd, Hong Kong police were called to a local potato chip factory. Once there, they found a mud-caked grenade mixed in with the large shipment of potatoes.
World War I grenade found in shipment of potatoes headed to Hong Kong https://t.co/vGiycDGym4 https://t.co/etEN0o9E7v— CNN International (@CNN International) 1549135865.0
According to CNN, Superintendent Wilfred Wong Ho Hon commented:
"The grenade was imported from France together with the other potatoes."
After clearing an area outside the factory, authorities used a "high-pressure water firing technique" to safely detonate the grenade.
Exclusive! We detonated a German made WW1 hand grenade earlier this afternoon. 獨家！ 拆彈專家💣較早時間引爆了一枚第一次世界大戰時德國製的手榴彈。… https://t.co/Zgz7RfzwSs— Hong Kong Police Force (@Hong Kong Police Force) 1549094790.0
@hkpoliceforce Wow It have passed about 1 century!This grenade still can explode.The quality of the German production is terribly good.— LINEAGE1000E (@LINEAGE1000E) 1549097722.0
Military historian Dave Macri told the South China Morning Post how the grenade likely ended up with the spuds:
"If it was covered in mud, the grenade was likely to have been left behind, dropped by soldiers there during the war, or left there after it was thrown."
He then suspects the weapon was dug up by accident and shipped right alongside the potatoes.
@CNN Bring in the Bomb Squad. https://t.co/2BVJ6G7zMu— [sic] Replies (@[sic] Replies) 1549148628.0
Twitter couldn't believe an active grenade from WWI was still lying around...
@CNN Omg what— klf84 (@klf84) 1549148566.0
@CNN How?— Lincoln Allen (@Lincoln Allen) 1549148594.0
@LPReppert @CNN https://t.co/AAdllR6cHr— supermaren (@supermaren) 1549161204.0
Others suspected that the grenade may have been the original "hot potato."
@CNN That is a hot potato nobody goofed up there— james mitchell (@james mitchell) 1549148712.0
@CNN I’m pretty sure that’s a regular potato— Bob Jeff (@Bob Jeff) 1549148516.0
@CNN https://t.co/qULRHldYtr— This Irish Viking (@This Irish Viking) 1549148583.0
Some even suggested this may be part of a coordinated attack from the Irish (who are famous for their quality potatoes).
@CNN The Irish clearly had plans that failed.— Hal Stewart (@Hal Stewart) 1549148788.0
@CNN Bangers and mash— Bruce wilkinson (@Bruce wilkinson) 1549149282.0
Of course, no matter how explosive the situation, Twitter can never resist a few jokes.
@CNN Thankfully it was not a live grenade; it was just a spud.— Jason Cavanaugh (@Jason Cavanaugh) 1549200503.0
@CNN "Spud dud?" 😉❄️🗻🏄♂️— george h severson (@george h severson) 1549149919.0
@CNN It's explosion will be like a banger. Just make it a souvenir— Uzoego Brite (@Uzoego Brite) 1549149503.0
@CNN Yess potatoes contain a lot of energy— john doe (@john doe) 1549148861.0
Thankfully, the grenade was noticed before it was peeled. One can only imagine what kind of food might have been made with the antique weapon...
@CNN French fries with Boom Boom Sauce— Hank Rutherford Hill (@Hank Rutherford Hill) 1549148623.0