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Novelty grenade spurs PS 91 evacuation: NYPD

By Sarina Trangle

Students were evacuated from PS 91 in Glendale Thursday after what turned out to be a novelty grenade was discovered in a lunchbox among candy, the NYPD said.

No one was injured, the Police Department said.

The NYPD said it received a call about a lunchbox containing candy, wrappers and something resembling a grenade underneath a school safety agent’s desk at 11:20 a.m. It was unclear who the lunchbox belonged to, police said.

Officers said students and staff were evacuated from the 68-10 Central Ave. campus while the NYPD’s emergency service unit and bomb squad investigated.

They determined the grenade was inert, but removed it from the school to prevent future 9-1-1 calls, authorities said.

Students and staff returned to the building at around 1 p.m., according to the NYPD.

The city Department of Education said it evacuated the school as a precaution.

“It turns out it was a novelty item from a hollowed out grenade that was not live,” the DOE said in a statement. “The bomb squad was notified [and] confirmed that it was not live… The principal is sending a letter home to parents.”

Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.