Authorities shut down roads and evacuated some residents in the area of the 100 block of Tunnel Road on Wednesday afternoon after a report of a suspicious package.
Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats said “some homes” were evacuated and the department’s bomb squad was called in to investigate.
A resident told Berkeleyside that her family was told to evacuate at 3 p.m.
Traffic was shut down on several roads surrounding the area during the investigation.
As of 4:15 p.m., authorities reported that the package had been “rendered safe” and that nearby roads would be re-opened shortly.
Update, 8:26 p.m. Berkeley Police Lt. Randy Files confirmed that police responded to Tunnel Road earlier on Wednesday for a report of a suspicious package that ultimately was rendered safe. He said the package had been deemed suspicious because that’s how it was reported by the caller, and that he could not discuss the methods used by police to make the item safe. Of the evacuations and road closures, he said, “If you don’t know what you have, you err toward the side of safety.”
This story may be updated as more information becomes available.
Related:
Shattuck re-opened after suspicious package scare (10.28.13)
Channing, Piedmont blocked due to suspicious device (06.01.13)
UC Berkeley receives anonymous email bomb threat (10.30.12)
Bomb squad tackles suspicious package at fire station (09.16.12)
Anthrax scare at Berkeley police station, other cities (07.20.12)
Bomb threat closes several Berkeley streets Wednesday (05.03.12)
No bomb at Cragmont school (10.05.10)
Breaking: Cragmont School evacuated (10.05.10)
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