photo by Mike Cameron
Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rick Cole and Crewmembers prepare to blast a suspicious package with their high powered water cannon after it was discovered by the town's parking control officer under a drop box in front of the Middlebury Post Office at about 12:30 p.m. on Friday June 15th, 2007. Middlebury Police were notified and Middlebury Police Chief Tom Hanley ordered the area around the post office and upper Main Street cordoned off and buildings in the area evacuated according to bomb threat protocol. The state's bomb squad was notified. After consulting with the bomb squad, local firefighters moved the box deeper into the post office property near some large trees where it was destroyed with a blast from the water cannon mounted on the fire departments big ladder truck. By extending the ladder, firefighters were able to safely maneuver the large high pressure nozzle over the box and destroy it. Police later determined that the box and its contents did not pose a threat and that the entire incident was a hoax. If apprehended the perpetrator could face local, state and federal prosecution.

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