Bomb Squad Responds to to Centralia Library, Finds ‘Junk’

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Storytime was cut short Tuesday morning at the Centralia Timberland Library after a suspicious package was delivered there.

After a couple hours of X-rays and investigation by the Washington State Patrol Bomb Squad and Centralia Police, authorities found the package to be harmless.

At about 1 p.m., while taking down yellow police tape around the library, Cmdr. Dave Ross told The Chronicle the package just contained “junk.” Inside authorities had found a jacket, a socket set and an electronic wrist watch that was beeping.

Library Manager Susan Faubion said the cardboard package about the size of a breadbox arrived at about 11 a.m. as a return to sender delivery from the United States Postal Service.

However, the library never mailed the package in the first place.

While Faubion and a few other library employees were standing around the box, it started beeping like an alarm clock. Faubion called 911, and the building was evacuated. She said about 30 people were at the library for storytime and many other library patrons were in the building as well when the package was delivered.

Centralia Police will continue to investigate the package and try to locate its origin.

Riverside Fire Authority also responded to the scene.