Hundreds of Civil War-era cannonballs that were found at a construction site along 39th Street in Lawrenceville are being removed, prompting traffic restrictions in the area.

Hundreds of Civil War-era cannonballs that were discovered at a construction site in Lawrenceville are being carefully dug up and removed, prompting traffic restrictions in the area. City officials said 39th Street is shut down between Butler Street and the Allegheny River, with some exceptions for commercial traffic and local residents. The restrictions are expected to continue for five days. Spectators should avoid the area.A construction crew was working at the future site of an apartment complex when the first few dozen cannonballs were discovered last month.As of Tuesday evening, more than 300 cannonballs had been found at the site, Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler said."There's black powder in these cannonballs, and black powder is a very dangerous substance," said Nick Leonello, of Franjo Construction. Maryland-based Ordnance Holdings Inc. has been hired to remove the cannonballs that are being unearthed near the former site of the Allegheny Arsenal, which was a supplier of munitions to the Union Army during the Civil War. "It's very unlikely that one of these things could go off, but that doesn't matter to us," Leonello said. "We're still taking every step necessary to make sure that everyone on this site and around here on 39th is in a safe zone." Additional closures are possible, depending on how the removal progresses and if more cannonballs are found.

Hundreds of Civil War-era cannonballs that were discovered at a construction site in Lawrenceville are being carefully dug up and removed, prompting traffic restrictions in the area.

City officials said 39th Street is shut down between Butler Street and the Allegheny River, with some exceptions for commercial traffic and local residents. The restrictions are expected to continue for five days. Spectators should avoid the area.


A construction crew was working at the future site of an apartment complex when the first few dozen cannonballs were discovered last month.

As of Tuesday evening, more than 300 cannonballs had been found at the site, Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler said.

"There's black powder in these cannonballs, and black powder is a very dangerous substance," said Nick Leonello, of Franjo Construction.

Maryland-based Ordnance Holdings Inc. has been hired to remove the cannonballs that are being unearthed near the former site of the Allegheny Arsenal, which was a supplier of munitions to the Union Army during the Civil War.

"It's very unlikely that one of these things could go off, but that doesn't matter to us," Leonello said. "We're still taking every step necessary to make sure that everyone on this site and around here on 39th is in a safe zone."

Additional closures are possible, depending on how the removal progresses and if more cannonballs are found.

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