COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hours after a battery exploded, prompting an evacuation of Columbus police headquarters, the bomb squad was back on the scene for a follow-up.
No one was injured and there was no report of damage after a battery on a piece of construction equipment exploded inside Police Division headquarters last night.
The bomb squad returned early this morning for what was described as a routine precautionary follow-up investigation, fire and police officials said.
Several emergency responders were dispatched to the scene in downtown Columbus. The battery was on a power lift in the Marconi Boulevard building’s lobby when it blew up, shaking workers on the first and second floors.
Officers and civilian employees were allowed back into the building overnight after the cause was found.
“HQ is all clear. Thanks to all our LE and FD partners. ‘Explosion’ was related to area construction project. HQ reopening now,” said an official division Twitter feed around 1:00 a.m.
A Columbus Fire Department official says a caller reported an explosion at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Emergency responders, including the Columbus Division of Fire Bomb Squad and Homeland Security officials, were dispatched to the scene and streets surrounding the building were closed to traffic.
The police department’s non-emergency and 911 lines were not affected.
A police public information officer did not immediately return phone messages.