Taia DeBona, the manager of Tank 77 Museum in Taber, was sorting through old boxes in the archives when she stumbled upon a baseball-sized object that caught her attention. Initially, she thought it was just a prop, as there were many props and kids’ toys among the stored items. However, upon closer inspection with her colleagues last Thursday evening, they realized that this object might be something more serious.
"We opened up this box, kind of got a better look at it, went ‘that’s metal, that’s not plastic.’ Then I picked it up, you hear a pin kind of rattle; it’s heavy in your hand. I’m looking at it going, ‘this looks really real,’" said one of the individuals involved in the discovery.
The discovery led to panic as they realized the seriousness of their find. "So we’re starting to panic; our brains weren’t working. It’s funny because there was like an hour where we just had it set on the ground," another person recalled about their reaction during the hour-long wait before calling authorities for assistance.
DeBona quickly sprang into action and called the police to report their find. In an abundance of caution, the museum and Aqua Fun Centre were closed. Taber Police remained on the scene until bomb disposal experts could deal with the grenade.
Taber police received calls around 5 PM Thursday afternoon after someone reported finding what appeared to be live ordnance inside the Tank 77 Museum, located near downtown Taber along Highway Two.
Community Response
Jordan White, who describes himself as "the Peter Parker" of Taber’s social media landscape, regularly listens to scanners monitoring local fire department activity. He creates content sharing photos and videos related to emergency services across Southern Alberta.
White heard about the incident via a scanner app shortly before arriving on the scene Wednesday night. "I saw police posted saying there’s an intact grenade found at Tank 77, so I basically rushed down here by bike," he said.
Having documented emergencies since high school, White started creating content using his own equipment but eventually invested over $1,000 in specialized scanner gear to capture audio footage from nearby fire stations. He believes his efforts help keep the community informed, especially during times of crisis.
"It’s awesome knowing people support and recognize my page. Not many small towns or cities get recognition and appreciation for things happening in certain areas of town," he added.
Reflections on the Incident
The ordeal left Taia feeling surreal. "Nobody goes to work thinking, ‘I’ll find a real grenade today!’" she remarked. She hopes that Tank 77 may dedicate a space to display the story, possibly including a prop grenade for visitors.
"Every day surprises me—finds people bringing in. So every day is different; it doesn’t stagnate. Just hope I don’t get a big surprise like a grenade again soon," she concluded.
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