Elderly woman in China defies death after using hand grenade as hammer for 20 years

An elderly lady in China who had believed for 20 years that she was using a simple hammer to crack nuts and hammer nails was shocked to discover that the tool was actually a hand grenade.

The amazing story began two decades ago, when a 90-year-old woman surnamed Qin from Xiangyang in central China’s Hubei Province found an unusual “lump of metal” while working on her farm in Huangbao County.

Because of its shape, she thought it was a hammer, took it home and used it for various household tasks.

“I used it at home to crush red pepper, crack nuts and hammer nails,” Qin explained in a video that attracted widespread attention online.

That she was indeed dealing with a deadly device came to light on June 23, when workers demolishing her old house recognized it as a hand grenade.

They immediately alerted the authorities.

The Huangbao Police Station responded immediately and reported the incident to local security authorities, who then sent officers and a bomb disposal unit to the scene.

According to the video that went viral on the internet, the grenade’s wooden handle had become smooth and shiny from years of use, while the head had significant dents from repeated hammering.

What was striking was that part of the grenade’s fuse was exposed.

The police have since confiscated the weapon and said: “After we confiscated the grenade, we asked professionals to destroy it.”

They also held a safety training for the villagers.

The officers warned them: “If you find any suspicious objects that look like hand grenades, you must report it to the police immediately. Do not touch them or use them as a hammer, otherwise the consequences could be catastrophic!”

According to Dazhong Daily, the grenade was a domestic Type 67 grenade, recognizable by the protective metal cap on the wooden handle.

The fact that there was no explosion for more than two decades sparked speculation on the Internet.

Some people suggested that it might have been a practice grenade with an identical shape but not filled with gunpowder.

Others countered that it could not be a fake because the bomb had been confiscated by the police. “The fact that it did not explode is an exceptional case,” they added.

The incident also caused great amusement on social media.

One online observer said: “It is impressive that Grandma Qin used the hand grenade as a hammer for over 20 years without pulling the fuse even once out of curiosity.

“If it had been me, I wouldn’t have resisted my desire to pull on it and see what happens.”

Another person added: “Apparently even hand grenades have principles and don’t explode on kind-hearted elderly people.”

A third joked: “The handle has even become smooth and shiny. The grenade might be thinking, ‘Please, officer, take me away quickly. I’ve been given too many tasks during my time here.'”

“When they saw the video, even the police were speechless! This old lady is really lucky and blessed,” said another person.