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Cops: ‘Smoke grenade’ leads to Riley Avenue School lockdown

Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton. (Credit: File)
Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton. (Credit: File)

Riley Avenue Elementary School was on lockdown Thursday morning after someone discovered what appeared to be an explosive inside a home nearby, Riverhead Town police said.

The “explosive” — which was discovered as the house of a deceased relative was being cleaned out — appeared to be an old smoke grenade and posed no danger, said Lt. Kevin Burke of the Suffolk County bomb squad.

Police were responding to a disabled motorist near Riley Avenue in Calverton about 11:20 a.m. when a resident notified police that they had found the device, Riverhead Police Captain Richard Smith said.

Police evacuated the immediate area, closed off the nearby streets and had the children at the school stay inside while Suffolk County Emergency Services removed the item, Cpt. Smith said.

The grenade was removed from the garage of the house without incident and was taken away for disposal, Lt. Burke said. The roads were later reopened and no one was harmed, police said.

Superintendent Nancy Carney wasn’t immediately available for comment, her secretary said.

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