UPDATE, 2:39 p.m. | The explosive found at the scene was identified as a G 1.4 explosive device — previously known as a railroad torpedo — and its explosive capability is similar to that of a consumer grade firework, according to the Pleasant Hill Police Department.
"Railroad torpedoes" were used before modern development of railroads. A "railroad torpedo" was an audible signal, telling oncoming trains to stop immediately, whether it was for stalled trains or something on the tracks.
"Railroad torpedoes" are no longer utilized in the United States, according to PHPD.
No injuries were reported during the incident, and normal activities can resume after PHPD confirmed the area is clear.
ORIGINAL STORY, 1:22 p.m. | The Pleasant Hill Police Department is investigating after a resident discovered explosives while unboxing property from a deceased relative Tuesday.
Explosives were found in a shed in the 1500 block of Sugarland Parkway in Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Sugarland Parkway and the nearby Sugarland Walking Trail are closed for a controlled detonation of the explosives, per PHPD.
A Pleasant Hill resident received property from a relative who recently died, and upon opening boxes they found the explosives.
The resident then contacted PHPD.
The Lee's Summit Police Department Bomb Squad is on the scene and will remove the explosives and conduct a controlled denotation at the scene.
The PHPD asks the public to avoid the area.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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