In the village of Duńkowice, located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, a 46-year-old resident made a startling discovery that took a dangerous turn. The man found an anti-tank mine from World War II, but not recognizing it for what it was, he stored it in his barn and promptly forgot about it.
A year later, while cleaning the barn, he recalled the object and realized it might be an unexploded ordnance. Realizing the potential danger, he contacted the police to report the find.
“When he first discovered the heavily corroded object last year, he moved it to his barn without realizing it could be a hazardous wartime relic. Upon cleaning the barn and seeing the item again, he inspected it more closely and suspected it might be a mine,” said Chief Inspector Anna Długosz, spokesperson for the Jarosław County Police.
Police explosives experts confirmed that the object was indeed an anti-tank mine, measuring 8 cm thick and 22 cm in diameter. They called in sappers from the 21st Command Battalion in Rzeszów, who safely removed the mine and transported it to a military range for neutralization.
Authorities remind the public that unexploded ordnance from wartime remains dangerous despite being buried for many years.
“Such items should not be touched, dug up, moved, or tampered with. The police should be notified immediately,” advised Długosz.