The staff of a Goodwill store in Palatka, Fla., found a live hand grenade among donations that a local bomb squad recovered and safely detonated at a secure location on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI. | License Photo

Dec. 12 (UPI) — Staff at a Goodwill store in Palatka, Fla., found a live grenade among donations, which prompted the store’s evacuation on Thursday.

A store employee discovered the grenade in a bin near a door reserved for donations at the Goodwill store at 103 South State Road 19 in Palatka.

Officials for the Palatka (Fla.) Police Department said they responded immediately upon the grenade being reported and evacuated the building, First Coast News reported.

Personnel with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad removed the grenade and remotely detonated it in a secure location.

A Goodwill spokeswoman Liz Morgan said the grenade was not placed on the store’s retail floor and said it’s important for people to ensure they don’t accidentally donate dangerous items.

“We want to remind the community to thoroughly check all items before donating, ensuring that hazardous items, such as explosives, firearms or ammunition, are not accidentally included,” the Palatka Police said in a prepared statement shared with NBC News.

“If you ever locate something that appears to be a hand grenade or other explosive device, do not touch it or handle it,” the PPD statement said. “Immediately evacuate the area and call law enforcement.”

Palatka is located in northeastern Florida and about 60 miles south of Jacksonville.