Police in Kensington, P.E.I., shut down municipal building over 'potentially hazardous object'

The city's police chief says there is no danger to the public; the object found is likely an old mortar shell.

City Hall in Kensington, the capital of Prince Edward County, was closed Monday night after a "potentially dangerous object" was brought into the city's police headquarters.

A scheduled city council meeting was also postponed. A social media post called the incident an "unexpected situation" and urged residents to avoid the area.

"Kensington Police are managing a potentially dangerous object inside City Hall located at the intersection of Victoria Avenue East and Woodley Drive," Kensington Police wrote on social media around 7 p.m. local time.

The same post said that access to Woodley Drive, including the Tim Hortons drive-thru, was being closed to manage the situation.

The city council meeting, which was scheduled for that evening, has now been rescheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Kensington Police Chief Landon Yeowell confirmed to CBC News that a local resident brought an old mortar shell, believed to be from World War II, to the police department.

He stressed that there was no danger to the public, but police closed the area out of an abundance of caution, as the shell could still be active.

Yeowell said city officials are in talks with representatives from the Department of National Defence (DND) in Gagetown, New Brunswick, to determine how to handle the object.

The Department of Defence warns on its website that if anyone finds an object that appears to be unexploded military ordnance (munitions that did not explode when fired or launched), they should:

Do not touch, move, throw anything at or hit it; Because it may explode and endanger someone's life or health.

Remember the exact location of the object and leave the area the same way you came.

Prevent others from approaching it as much as possible.

Call 911 or the local police as soon as possible.

If you are in the workplace, inform your supervisor and report the exact location and actions taken.

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