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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