Just hot dogs.
The Philadelphia police bomb squad detonated three suspicious packages outside Citizens Bank Park this evening that actually were hot dogs accidentally left behind after a Hatfield commercial shoot that involved the Phillie Phanatic and his hot-dog launcher.
Police received a call at 4:13 p.m. about the three packages found on a light post near the first-base gate on Pattison Avenue near Darien Street. Once the bomb squad arrived, Pattison Avenue was closed to traffic and pedestrians, and game-day employees evacuated the building. Phillies employees whose offices were near the activity moved to the other side of the ballpark but were not evacuated.
The bomb squad detonated the packages. The Phillies said the hot dogs were heavily wrapped in white packaging and duct tape so they could be fired from the Phanatic's hot-dog launcher.
"We just did what we thought was appropriate," said Mike Stiles, senior vice president of administration and operations. "We looked at it. And in this day and age, if you have a question, you call the police. The police came and they said, 'Yeah, this merits the bomb squad to take a look and take action.' They detonated it.
"It's important to let people know that although it was suspicious, it did not contain any explosive device and we didn't get any bomb-scare notes or threats."
Players and staff for the Phillies and Atlanta Braves remained in the ballpark and continued their activities as scheduled while the bomb squad detonated the hot dogs.
The Phillies expressed their appreciation to the police department, "particularly during this difficult time for all law enforcement."
hno:
The Philadelphia police bomb squad detonated three suspicious packages outside Citizens Bank Park this evening that actually were hot dogs accidentally left behind after a Hatfield commercial shoot that involved the Phillie Phanatic and his hot-dog launcher.
Police received a call at 4:13 p.m. about the three packages found on a light post near the first-base gate on Pattison Avenue near Darien Street. Once the bomb squad arrived, Pattison Avenue was closed to traffic and pedestrians, and game-day employees evacuated the building. Phillies employees whose offices were near the activity moved to the other side of the ballpark but were not evacuated.
The bomb squad detonated the packages. The Phillies said the hot dogs were heavily wrapped in white packaging and duct tape so they could be fired from the Phanatic's hot-dog launcher.
"We just did what we thought was appropriate," said Mike Stiles, senior vice president of administration and operations. "We looked at it. And in this day and age, if you have a question, you call the police. The police came and they said, 'Yeah, this merits the bomb squad to take a look and take action.' They detonated it.
"It's important to let people know that although it was suspicious, it did not contain any explosive device and we didn't get any bomb-scare notes or threats."
Players and staff for the Phillies and Atlanta Braves remained in the ballpark and continued their activities as scheduled while the bomb squad detonated the hot dogs.
The Phillies expressed their appreciation to the police department, "particularly during this difficult time for all law enforcement."
hno:
