Traffic in downtown Dothan ground to a standstill Monday morning as an object that appeared to be a grenade sat in the gutter on South Oates Street.

Utility workers noticed a small object on the ground that was shaped and colored like a hand grenade at about 9:40 am.

Dothan police and sheriffs deputies were on the scene within minutes.

A remote controlled robot was used to remove the device so that it could be disposed of safely.

Police said later the device appeared to be some sort of fireworks shaped like a grenade left over from the 4th of July.