Bomb Techs Render Suspicious Object Safe at State Fairgrounds

The suspicious device was a two and a half foot long cylindrical object.

Photos: Oregon State Police

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon State Police bomb technicians determined a suspicious object reported Tuesday morning in the north parking lot of the Oregon State Fairgrounds near Silverton Road in Salem was not an explosive device.

The police and bomb technician response closed a short section of Silverton Road for approximately 90 minutes, according to Oregon State Police Spokesman, Lt. Gregg Hastings.

He says Tuesday at approximately 12:36 p.m. OSP troopers and bomb technicians along with Salem police, responded to a report of the suspicious object spotted by a bicyclist.

"As a precaution, Salem police and OSP troopers blocked off a short section of Silverton Road while OSP bomb technicians assessed the approximate 2 1/2 foot long cylindrical object."

He says a remote controlled robot operated by a bomb technician moved the object to another section of the north parking lot before rendering it safe using a water cannon.

Silverton Road was re-opened shortly after 2:00 p.m.