Residents in one part of Haverhill can now return home after an explosive device was detonated by the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad technicians on Friday, State Fire Marshal Jon Davine’s office announced.
At around 8 a.m., Haverhill police were tipped off about “an item of concern” at 5 Rosebud Avenue, Davine’s office said in a statement. Haverhill police and firefighters arrived at the address and requested help from the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit from Davine’s office.
Residents nearby were evacuated while bomb squad workers assessed any potential hazards, Davine’s office said. With the help of robotic platforms and other tools, bomb squad technicians determined the device posed a “significant danger and could not safely be transported,” Davine’s office continued.
Through a controlled detonation, the device was no longer a threat to the area, leaving no one hurt, Davine’s office said. Residents in the area were allowed to return home, though Rosebud Avenue will remain closed “for a short time” until emergency vehicles clear the area.
A resident at the Rosebud Avenue address was found driving a Freightliner on Route 495 in Wrentham, with state police stopping the Freightliner and arresting the driver, the fire marshal’s office said. State police shut down Route 495 and swept the Freightliner for any hazards.
The driver, a man in his 60s, was taken to the area hospital and Haverhill police will pursue criminal charges in connection with the device, Davine’s office concluded.
