Army called in from base near Cape Canaveral re: bomb found in Ft Myers. Metro Parkway closed.

ABC-TV / WEVU-TV News ^ | March 16, 2004 | Breaking local news

[summer]

Note from summer:

I just watched WEVU-TV as I was channel surfing, and they are the only station I could find in SW FL currently broadcasting the following information:

Metro Parkway is now closed, and authorities have now identified a suspicious package as a bomb. US Army personnel have arrived, from a base near Cape Canaveral. Metro Parkway in Ft Myers will remain closed.

The above update was broadcast at about 11:30pm on ABC-TV's local ABC news affiliate, WEVU-TV. Their web site has not yet been updated and still has this story:

Breaking News

Cops call in "experts" for suspicious item The Lee County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious item found at Garden Street Metals on Metro Parkway. Sheriff's deputies are waiting on technical experts to arrive before they do anything with the item. The experts are six hours away from Fort Myers. All roads around the building are open and no one has been affected other than the employees of Garden Street Metals. The bomb squad is inside the building and fire crews are on standby.

[summer]

FYI. The tv newscaster said they now know it is in fact a bomb, and that's why Metro Parkway has been closed. No injuries reported or anything like that.

[sockmonkey]

Thanks, Summer. Keep us posted.

[summer]

Actually, I am about to call its quits here on online for the night, but I wanted people to know in case they are thinking about taking Metro Parkway anywhere. Think again.

[Brandon]

For a geographically challenged Iowan, is that anywhere near Orlando? My 16 year old is down there on spring break.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Thanks for the report.

[GeronL]

So it IS a bomb??

WOW.. usually its someones dirty laundry or lunch

[summer]

No, Orlando is Central FL, and this is happening in SW Florida, south of Sarasota, on the west coast of FL.

[summer]

Yes, that is what the TV reported, and frankly, I was surprised they called in the Army from a base near Cape Canaveral for this. Cape Canaveral is very far away (about six hours, as it says on the tv web site). I think they said it was from an army base called "Patrick"? Usually there is some local bomb squad that goes on. I am wondering why this one was so different. And, no else is reporting this yet.

[summer]

FYI, and good night!

[kimmie7]

keep-us-posted-ping

[JulieRNR21]

Orlando is center of FL and north of Ft. Myers which is on the west coast of FL.

Be at ease......Your son is very far from the area mentioned in the story.

[summer]

JH2, If you have a moment, please see if Miami Herald covers this overnight. I am wondering what is going on but I am getting offline now. Thanks.

[GeronL]

I would bet there is a reason the local bomb squad didn't handle it.... Spring Break??

[GOPJ]

good night summer, thanks for the post.

[cmsgop]

The weird thing is Local Leo' SWAT Teams should be able too ID' and Dis-Arm, They must not like the looks of it to call in Feds/Military....

[Rocky]

http://www.abc-7.com/News/story1.shtml

LEE COUNTY, March 16, 2004— Late Tuesday night, Metro Parkway was shut down when the 766 Explosive Ordinance Device Army unit arrived at Garden Street Metal to transport an explosive device to a secure location. The explosive device was found earlier in the day by workers sorting through salvage materials.

The 766 EOD Army unit responded from Patrick Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral. When they arrived, Metro Parkway from Hanson to Winkler was shut down while the device was transported.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Lee County Sheriff's Office, HAZMAT crews and the bomb squad responded to the scene.

[Brandon]

Thanks to both of you.

[Chad Fairbanks]

An old unexploded shell mixed in with old salvaged junk, perhaps? Old military stuff left laying around, I wouldn't be surprised if local LEO Bomb Squads wouldn't touch it.

[JohnHuang2]

Nothing in the Herald, friend. I'll keep checking.

[Ichneumon]

WOW.. usually its someones dirty laundry or lunch

A few years back there was a great advertisement for some brand of laptop computer (I forget which). It featured a picture of a shattered laptop, and a letter from the laptop's owner, describing how his computer case had been mistaken for a "suspicious package" and been blown up by the bomb squad. Although the laptop's screen and keyboard were ruined, the computer still booted up and worked fine when he attached an external monitor and keyboard to the connectors on the back of the laptop! He thanked the company for making such a sturdy computer.