HABERSHAM CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE NEWS RELEASE:
“Habersham County Sheriff’s Office deputies were alerted by a resident of the Fairview community shortly before 11:30 a.m. Tuesday that an antique cannonball he was given recently possibly contained black powder and he was concerned it might pose a hazard.
Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Division responded, along with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Explosive Ordnance Detection Team, to the home on Wheeler Road off Ga. 115 in the Fairview area outside Clarkesville. K9 Roxy and her partner, Lt. Eugene Kemp, responded and Roxy immediately alerted to the presence of explosive material. The home where the antique cannonball was located was immediately evacuated, along with the house on each side of it. Out of an abundance of caution, Wheeler Road was closed from Ga. 115 to the 500 block. Units from Habersham County Emergency Services, the county’s combined fire/emergency medical services, provided standby with a fire engine and ambulance.
The sheriff’s office public information officer went door to door at the next six houses outside the closure perimeter, meeting with neighbors to explain the situation to residents and answer any questions they had. The sheriff’s office worked closely with the Habersham County School System, Transportation Director Stephanie Walker, and Transportation Coordinator Tim Dockery to ensure student safety for those living and riding buses in the area. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Operations Unit provided technical assistance and certified bomb technicians through the GBI Bomb Disposal Unit.
While an exact age of the cannonball is not known, the resident who had received it recently from a friend said he believed it could be Civil War era. The basketball-size cannonball was said to weigh about 100 pounds and contained black powder: With the help of a local gravel contractor, who is also a property owner in the area, GBI bomb technicians were able to create a safe bunker in which to bury the cannonball for detonation. The business owner then assisted with getting the cannonball to the bunker on private property and covering it.
Once everyone had cleared the property, deputies — at the request of the GBI — made public address announcements that those in the area would hear an explosion or explosions. The sheriff’s office also provided regular updates on its official Facebook page to help combat any rumors or misinformation that might arise following the initial notification. GBI bomb technicians detonated the cannonball and deemed the area safe.
Wheeler Road was reopened by 4:30 p.m.”
(Pictured: The cannonball is moved to a safe place for detonation. Courtesy Habersham Sheriff/EMS PIO Rob Moore)