Sacramento County sheriff’s explosives team removes C4 and grenades from Orangevale home

Sacramento County sheriff’s explosives personnel safely removed approximately 2½ bricks of C4, two incendiary grenades and one smoke grenade from an Orangevale home after a resident discovered the materials on Saturday, May 23.

The discovery occurred at about 9 a.m. at a home in the 6700 block of Beech Avenue. The caller found the military ordnance inside a residence that had formerly belonged to the caller’s late father, who was described as a former military demolitions instructor.

After finding the materials, the caller contacted authorities rather than attempting to move or inspect them. The Sacramento County sheriff’s explosives team collected the items and took them for later destruction. No injuries were reported.

Potential danger officials described

Sheriff’s officials said an accidental detonation of the C4 could have caused catastrophic damage within roughly 150 feet. They also said dangerous fragmentation and debris could have traveled up to about 600 feet.

Those distances describe the potential consequences officials associated with an accidental detonation. They do not mean that a blast occurred or that the reported incident caused damage. The approved account reports that the materials were removed safely and that no one was injured.

The discovery underscores the public-safety risks that suspected military ordnance can create inside a home in a residential area. It also illustrates why residents should treat unfamiliar explosives or military devices as dangerous even when the items appear old, inactive or stored.

What Orangevale residents should do

Authorities advised anyone who finds possible ordnance or another suspicious device not to approach it. The guidance is to leave immediately and call 911.

Residents should not attempt to carry, open, identify or otherwise handle a suspected explosive. Calling emergency responders allows trained personnel to assess the situation and determine how to secure and remove the material.

In this case, the sheriff’s explosives team’s collection was for later destruction. The available account does not provide a date for that destruction or identify the disposal facility.

It also does not identify the former military owner, explain how long the materials had remained in the home, or establish whether they were legally stored or illegally possessed. The account reports no arrests or charges, and it does not confirm that the surrounding neighborhood was evacuated.

For Orangevale homeowners, renters and others who encounter a potentially dangerous device, the immediate step remains the same: create distance, leave the area and call 911.