Athens roads shut after machine part mistaken for WWII shell

ATHENS, Greece – Roads near Greece’s parliament building in central Athens were cordoned off for hours Tuesday due to a bomb scare that turned out to be a false alarm.

Authorities said several streets around Syntagma Square, in front of parliament, were blocked to traffic and pedestrians after a crew doing excavation work for a water main maintenance found what was initially believed to be a World War II-era mortar shell.

A bomb-disposal team from the Greek army determined it was a rusting machine part used by the power utility. Police reopened the roads that were blocked for about three hours.

Circulation restrictions are already in effect in Athens and across Greece due to the coronavirus crisis.