Police Evacuate Lawrence Houses After Finding Chemicals, Suspected Pipe Bomb

LAWRENCE (CBS/AP) – Police blocked off and evacuated seven houses in a Lawrence neighborhood Sunday morning after finding chemicals and what they though might have been a pipe bomb in a home.

It turned out to be a false alarm.

The incident began when police went to the house to recover weapons.

Lawrence police told WBZ-TV's Bree Sison they found powder in the home where they confiscated the weapons but the suspected pipe bomb found near Exchange Street was actually an empty nunchuk.

A 40-year-old man who had lived on the third floor of the house passed away in May and his mother was cleaning out his apartment and found suspicious materials.

Police said they recovered a rifle, an AR-15 style gun and two pellet guns. Officials reported that materials such as fuses were found that could be used to make bombs but police said they did not believe the man was involved in bomb making.

Methuen and Lawrence police responded with a hazardous materials team and the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad.

Police said the bomb squad was called in as a precautionary measure and the public was not in danger.

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