Bomb Scare Evacuates NBC Tower

Suspecious Package Found In Front Of NBC Tower

NBC Tower was evacuated early Thursday morning after police received a call reporting a suspicious cardboard canister inside the bus shelter at the corner of North Water and Columbus Drive.

The shelter is located at the front of NBC Tower's Columbus entrance.

The Chicago Police Bomb and Arson Squad ordered guests of the Sheraton Hotel to stay put and evacuated NBC. The squad then used two robots to determine whether the package was a bomb.

“A short time later, a loud explosion sound alerted onlookers.  The box was detonated and the scene was rendered safe,” said Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.

Traffic was briefly blocked on Columbus Drive between North Water and Illinois streets.

The suspicious package was one of two reported in the last 24 hours.

Another call came in at 8:50pm reporting a package in the Old Town neighborhood.   Police found a package in a building in the 1500 block of North Wells Street.

Bomb and arson investigators determined the package contained a radio speaker.

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