A 90-year-old Chinese woman, surnamed Qin, recently revealed an astonishing story of how she unknowingly used an old hand grenade as a hammer for two decades. This revelation came to light when workers demolishing her house in Xiangyang, Hubei province, spotted the explosive device.
Qin discovered the grenade while working on her farm, mistaking it for a makeshift hammer due to its strange metal lump appearance and wooden handle. Oblivious to its true nature, she incorporated it into her daily life, using it to crack nuts, pound red pepper, and hammer nails. The grenade, identified as a Chinese Type 67, remarkably survived years of such rough treatment.
The discovery was made when demolition workers noticed the suspicious object and alerted authorities. The Huangbao police station quickly dispatched a special unit that confirmed the object was indeed a live grenade. The police reported that the wooden handle had become smooth and glossy from years of use, while the metallic head was covered in dents.
The fact that the grenade had not exploded during this time led to various speculations. Some believed it might have been a training grenade, which resembles a real one but lacks explosives. However, this theory was debunked by the police, who confirmed that the grenade had been properly destroyed to prevent any accidental injuries, verifying it was indeed live and not a dummy.
The police statement highlighted Qin’s extraordinary luck. Despite using the grenade frequently, she never pulled the fuse, which could have had deadly consequences. Chinese news reports mentioned that the grenade was so damaged that part of the fuse had become exposed, making it even more dangerous. Had Qin’s curiosity led her to pull the fuse, the result would have been catastrophic.
Qin’s story has since gone viral in China, with many marveling at her incredible fortune. Her casual recounting of the events in a video has captivated audiences, underscoring the extraordinary tale of how she unknowingly played with her life for twenty years and lived to tell the tale.