TEMPLETON — Police are seeking assistance from the public after an apparent hoax device was found on a local bridge, sparking a response from the Templeton Police Department and State Police assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office.
According to Templeton Police Chief Michael Bennett and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine, the suspicious item, which bore a resemblance to a destructive device, was intentionally placed on a bridge above a railroad track.
The officials are urging anyone with information regarding the device or its creator to contact the Templeton Police at 978-939-5638 or by texting TPDTIP to 847411.
Information can also be relayed to the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit at 978-567-3310.
The investigation indicates that the device was likely planted before Tuesday evening.
A MassDOT Highway Division employee reported the potential explosive on the Route 202 bridge near Elm Street at approximately 7:40 a.m. yesterday.
Responding officers from the Templeton Police observed an object with wires extending from it, prompting them to alert the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit.
State Police Bomb Squad and Fire Investigation Unit troopers, alongside the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, arrived at the scene to examine the device, neutralize any potential threats, and begin an inquiry into its origins.
Following an initial visual assessment, a bomb technician from the State Police, outfitted in Personal Protective Equipment, conducted X-Ray diagnostics on the item.
Upon reviewing the results, a manual inspection was carried out, which determined that the object’s contents were not hazardous.
The device has since been taken into custody for further analysis as part of the ongoing investigation.
