Pembroke Police K9 Helps Bomb Squad Detonate Mysterious Package

PEMBROKE, MA — After a mysterious package appeared at the Pembroke firehouse Tuesday, officers were quick to respond.

Around 6:30 p.m., members of the Pembroke Fire Department noticed a mysterious container that had been dropped off by a person on a motorcycle and called in members of the Massachusetts State Police.

"Today a random citizen pulled up to the firehouse on a motorcycle and dropped off a dangerous package without notifying anyone," Pembroke police said.

Trooper Michael Rockett responded with his K9 partner Nancy - a six-year-old yellow Lab, who assessed the container which was labeled "orange hand signal smoke," and had "Coston Signal Company" on it.

Officers did a quick Internet search which found that Coston manufactured maritime signaling devices such as flares for the Navy. Once Trooper Rockett opened the container, K9 Nancy found eight hand-tied burlap sacks filled with an unknown black substance similar in consistency to black powder, police said.

Police said the sacks were packaged in loose sawdust, similar to packaging methods from the early 1900s for transportation of energetic material.

"Members of the MSP Bomb Squad determined, given the appearance and suspected age of the material -- which was most likely manufactured for the maritime industry to create smoke signals once ignited -- that destruction of the powder was necessary," Massachusetts State Police said in a Facebook post.

"For the safety of the public and our first responders, please call the police department if you discover potentially dangerous and/or explosive items that you are concerned about," Pembroke police said, asking residents not to bring them to police or fire departments.

The container was burned off and safely disposed of, police said.

"Thank you to the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad and Bomb K9 Nancy for your assistance tonight," Pembroke police said.