WEATHERSFIELD — Township firefighters and police officers responded to a report of a potentially hazardous object discovered by a resident, which later was identified as a railroad torpedo.

Police said there was no threat to public safety.

At 4:41 p.m. Tuesday, a resident arrived at the Weathersfield Township Fire Department in Mineral Ridge to report finding an object believed to be explosive, which they acquired through a recent purchase from an auction site.

Fire personnel conducted an initial assessment, deemed the item potentially dangerous and immediately secured the surrounding area as a precaution.

The Weathersfield Police Department and the Youngstown Bomb Squad were called to the scene to investigate.

After a thorough examination, the bomb squad confirmed the object was a railroad torpedo, a small explosive device historically used on railway lines to produce a loud noise when struck by train wheels, signaling train operators.

The bomb squad safely took custody of the device and the scene was cleared without incident. Police said that all actions were precautionary and at no point was the public in danger.