Suspicious Device Found at Washington Street Building in Stoughton Turns Out to be False Alarm

What at first looked like a potential hazardous situation, with a suspicious device found taped to a lock box, fortunately turned out to be just a false alarm.

The responded to a two-story retail/commercial building at 530 Washington St. at 12:14 p.m. on Sunday, June 24 because the fire alarm there had been activated. 

What first responders found was a 32-ounce Coca Cola bottle one-quarter filled with a clear fluid taped to a lock box on the exterior of the building. 

"When we saw that we backed out immediately," Stoughton Fire Captain Don Jasmin said.

Jasmin said the and State Police Bomb Squad were notified and responded.

But, when an employee who works at the building arrived, first responders were informed that the bottle was taped to the lock box to protect the glass door to one of the storefronts, Jasmin said.

Essentially the bottle, which Jasmin said was bigger than the lock box itself, was acting as a bumper to protect the glass door from breaking in case it swung open and hit the lock box.

The bottle was removed from the lock box and the scene was cleared, Jasmin said.

Jasmin said no malice was intended, but the employee will have to find another way to protect the glass door.