Tiverton Residents Return To Homes After Evacuation

Residents are back home after police ordered the evacuation of more than a dozen homes near Middle Avenue this morning. 

While officials are not releasing any information on the cause of the evacuation, they indicated the need for residents to vacate the area was not related to threats from Hurricane Sandy.

"There was an incident on Middle Avenue and there is an ongoing investigation into that right now," said Chief Thomas Blakey of the Tiverton Police Department in an interview today. "I won't be able to speak about the event itself until that is concluded."

About 12 to 15 homes between Middle and South avenues between Highland Road and West Avenue were evacuated for about two and a half hours between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Monday.

Rumors of an explosive situation could be niether confirmed or denied by Blakey or Fire Chief Robert Lloyd until the investigation is concluded. 

Residents who were afftected by the evacuation speculated what might have happened on the Tiverton-Little Compton Facebook page today:

Kathy Blanchette(12:40 p.m.): I just heard something about an explosive situation and a vacant house.

Robin Marshall(12:41 p.m.): heard something about fire calling for a bomb squad.

Kathy Blanchette(12:42 p.m.): Tiverton, Fall River, and Portsmouth Fire and Rescue were on the scene.

Kathy Blanchette(12:43 p.m.): My brother in law and his wife were forced to leave their home without a reason other than it was not due to the hurricane. We all wanted answers. Not too much to ask.

Kristen Brawner Hughes(12:45 p.m.): So middle avenue then right? Trying to place where this is! 
Anyways, safety for those responding!!! Sending positivity their way
Alan Doucet(1 p.m.): Middle and South Ave evacuated.

Donna Edwards(1:15 p.m.): back home now. Alan, are you guys home?? we weren't called but called the police and they said it was safe to return. I didn't realize that there was a vacant house over there?

Victoria George Talbot(1:26 p.m.): Gas leak

Check back with Patch for updates on this developing story.