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Update: Suspicious package removed from evacuated courthouse

THUNDER BAY - A suspcious package that prompted the evacuation of the Thunder Bay Courthouse has been removed. Two members of the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue hazardous materials removed the package at about 3:15 p.m.
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Thunder Bay Fire Rescue crews bring a suspicious package outside of the Thunder Bay Courthouse on Saturday afternoon. (Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY - A suspcious package that prompted the evacuation of the Thunder Bay Courthouse has been removed.

Two members of the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue hazardous materials removed the package at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon, more than three hours after the courthouse and the nearby Victoriaville Mall were evacuated.

Fire chief John Hay would not provide any details about where the package was located, how it was found or any kind of physical description, saying it was the subject of a Thunder Bay Police Service investigation.

Hay said the priority for firefighters was to cautiously and safely remove the item while taking as many precautions as possible to ensure safety.

"A hazmat entry is a very technical entry. There is a lot of preparation and a lot of steps you have to go through to make sure our firefighters are safe in case the package broke and there was something in there that could cause harm to them," Hay said.

"We wanted to make sure the package came out in a manner that was not going to cause public harm. Those things take time. A three-hour hazmat call is not a long call."

 

 

Earlier in the afternoon Hay said the package was not believed to be explosive.

The event caused significant disruption in the south downtown core.

Miles Street was closed between May and Archibald streets, as was Brodie Street between Miles Street and Victoria Avenue.

Fire crews and city police officers formed a perimeter around the courthouse. Local media on scene were directed to stay upwind from the courthouse.

Once the firefighters brought the package outside they were hosed down as a precaution.

The item has been turned over to city police.





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