HOT SPRINGS -- For the second time this year, a Civil War-era explosive device prompted an evacuation and an appearance by a bomb disposal unit in Garland County.
On Thursday morning, a cannonball reportedly purchased at Amity Trade Days led to the evacuation of businesses in the 400 block of Broadway near West Grand Avenue. The Arkansas State Police Bomb Squad later removed the device from the trunk of a vehicle and destroyed it at the Garland County landfill.
Brian White, manager of Grand Gallery Auctions, which is on Broadway, said one of his regular customers stopped into his business Thursday morning concerned about a purchase she had made at Amity Trade Days and wanted him to examine it.
"She is a historical collector and one of our regulars. When she pulled up, she notified me that she may have inadvertently bought a live Civil War cannonball. She was concerned and wanted me to check it out," White said.
The two walked outside to the customer's white Nissan Maxima and, in the trunk, White found a cannonball in a 12-by-12-inch box. The cannonball was cushioned on all sides by clothing, and White said it appeared to be a 12-pound Civil War cannonball.
"I removed the top clothing items and observed a fuse plug still in the cannonball. That signifies to me that possibly it could still be alive. I got her away from it and called the police."
State police, the county Emergency Management Department, city police and city firefighters responded. Emergency vehicles blocked the intersection of Broadway and Grand Avenue near Faith Pointe Church. Vehicles parked near Personalized Fitness, The Old Country Store and Grand Gallery Auctions were moved and civilians were evacuated.
Kim Jones, owner of Amity Trade Days, said she was unaware of seeing a cannonball or knowing of a cannonball being sold by a vendor at the market. The market does have a rule that firearms being sold at the market have to be unloaded. Jones emphasized that she gives the rules of the market to all of the vendors.
"We will implement a policy that there will not be any kind of live ammunition. All guns are supposed to be unloaded. I will really have to think about this and implement a rule that any kind of ammunition or gun will be checked by us."
State Desk on 11/19/2016