CENTERVILLE — The South Davis Metro Fire Department shut down Main Street here this afternoon after a concerned pedestrian reported that a square-shaped package wrapped in duct tape had been abandoned near a fire hydrant.
The person saw the package while walking on the sidewalk near 650 N. Main Street and cut the corner of it open with a knife, said deputy fire chief Jeff Bassett. White powder started coming out, so the person called for help.
It all started about 2 p.m.
The fire department called the bomb squad for help. That team used a robot to X-ray the package and found that it did not contain explosives.
Then, a hazardous materials team was called in, as was the Davis County Environmental Health department. They safely packaged the parcel, and then took it to a lab. Upon sampling the white powder, they learned it was simply flour.
“There were no hazards to anyone, but we have to take these things very seriously,” Bassett said.
The street was only closed for about half an hour, and firefighters don’t know why anyone would have left such a package unattended, Bassett said. The area is primarily residential.
“It turned out for the best,” he said. “We just had to make sure all the precautions were taken.”
rpalmer@davisclipper.com
Post a Comment
