Police called in the bomb squad after a security guard reported a suspicious package across the street from the WCB building in downtown Edmonton yesterday.
People in the area of 107 Street and 99 Avenue were asked to stay in their buildings or away from the scene for about an hour yesterday at about 10 a.m. while police investigated.
“In the interest of public safety, we came in and cordoned off the area and waited until our techs came in to determine if the package was benign or not,” said Sgt. Bernie Loughlin.
“It turned out that it was just something left at the garbage can.”
The package was removed safely and Loughlin said there was no risk to the public. He couldn’t confirm the exact contents but witnesses say it contained paper, cardboard and plastic. The incident occurred 11 months to the day after Patrick Clayton held several WCB employees hostage for up to 10 hours on Oct. 21, 2009.
“Any time we have a suspicious package in a public place that causes a member of the community concern where they notify us, we have to take that seriously,” Loughlin said. “Its proximity to this building or any other building is more coincidental than it was of any heightened concern.”
