Moments of fear in Salerno's Pastena neighborhood, where a bomb was found late this morning in front of the shutters of a business on Via Ricci, directly across from the Volto Santo church.
The first to notice the fire were some residents, who immediately called the Carabinieri. Carabinieri from the Salerno branch responded to the scene, cordoning off the area and temporarily halting traffic while awaiting the arrival of the bomb squad.
The device—which, according to initial information, appears to be a grenade—was carefully removed by Carabinieri specialists and transferred to a quarry, where it will be analyzed and, if necessary, safely detonated.
The incident sparked curiosity and concern among residents and passersby, who were forced to witness an unusual and tense scene: a blocked road, soldiers in action, and the fear of a bomb just meters from homes and shops.
The news also reached the mayor of Salerno, Vincenzo Napoli, who, after attending the solemn pontifical mass at the Cathedral for the feast of St. Matthew, the city's patron saint, went to Via Ricci to closely monitor the operations.
Several issues remain unclear: who left the device in front of the store and, above all, whether it was an act of intimidation or something else entirely. Investigations are ongoing, while the incident has left a climate of unease in the densely populated Pastena neighborhood, on a day that should have been a day of celebration in Salerno.
What happened in Salerno is a very strange situation. It's unclear why someone planted a bomb there. We hope the authorities clarify everything as soon as possible and that people can feel safe again.