WWII-era grenade found in basement of Bethpage home

A woman discovered what appeared to be a historic — and possibly explosive — World War II artifact Wednesday morning in her Bethpage home, Nassau police said.

As the woman, 60, was cleaning her basement about 10:50 a.m., she stumbled upon "a possible explosive device," the Nassau County Police Department said in a news release. When officers arrived at her home, they requested the Emergency Services Unit and Arson Bomb Squad detectives.

The detectives "deemed the item to potentially be a World War II style grenade," police said. The "suspicious item" was secured, removed from the home and transported to "a safe location" before the department destroyed it, the release said.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing, but police said there is no risk to the public.