Bomb squad blasts suspicious package

Springfield police block off area around post office.

A suspicious package found on Friday at the Springfield Post Office on Limestone Street was detonated by a bomb squad.

Officers were contacted around noon when post office employees stumbled upon a suspicious package while sorting through mail. The package had been dropped off at the dock of the post office.

The package was homemade and addressed to the Springfield Police Division. “Be careful how you hold this” was written on the package.

According to Postmaster Sue VanZant, officers took over immediately.

They evacuated the scene and contacted the Dayton Bomb Squad after they determined that the package was suspicious.

North Limestone Street and the post office were temporarily shut down as police and the bomb squad investigated the package prior to handling it.

People crowded around the post office as the bomb squad detonated the package, which caused a loud explosion on the post office dock.

After about three hours of investigating the package, officials found the box contained drug paraphernalia that someone attempted to turn into police.

“We took all the necessary precautions, we took every step necessary to make sure that all the general area and all the people in the vicinity were safe, prior to making any attempt to dispose the package,” said Sgt. Dan Harris of the Springfield Police Division.

Harris did not know all that was inside the box or who dropped it off.

No injuries were reported.

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