Homes evacuated after device find triggers bomb squad call
A bomb scare saw dozens of homes evacuated and people forced on to the streets after a suspicious device was found inside a property.
People were left standing outside in their pyjamas for several hours after the incident in Tonbridge Road, Maidstone at 4pm on Sunday.
Several emergency services including police cars, ambulances and the bomb squad were called.
The cordon stretched from Bower Street to St Michael’s Road.
Details of the type of device have not been confirmed by police but the Messenger understands the alarm was raised when a suspicious item connected to a car battery was found.
Residents were evacuated for more than four hours.
A police spokesman said: “A road in Maidstone was closed after a suspicious item was located at a property in Tonbridge Road.
“Officers attended the address shortly after 4pm on Sunday, April 10 where they discovered materials believed to be suspicious.
“Neighbouring properties
were evacuated as a precaution whilst specialist officers were called to the scene.
“The EOD [Explosive Ordnance Disposal] attended and the item was declared safe.”
People were allowed back into their homes at about 8.45pm but the road remained closed for a while afterwards.
Lots of families were left standing around just outside the taped-off area waiting to return, some in their pyjamas; others waited with their dogs. Some huddled together for warmth and an older man brought out a foldable chair to sit in.
Gemma Nauman, 40, lives in nearby St George’s Square. She said: “We got a knock on the door about 6.30pm, and was asked to evacuate. We were told in our road we couldn’t drive out, we just had to evacuate while they were looking into it.
“I was a bit shocked. I asked if we had a couple of minutes to get out, and they said yes, but they did emphasise to leave quite quickly.
“We stood by the cordon for about 45 minutes, then went down the road to get some cups of coffee.”
Wendy Ingram, 48, lives in Bromley Terrace. She said: “Police knocked on the door just before 6pm and my son answered. I didn’t believe them.
“At first I thought it was a joke and then we saw the police. It was quite a shock really.”
Edward King, 53, works as a shopkeeper in a convenience store along Tonbridge Road.
He said: “We are used to hearing police and ambulances going up and down the road. I went outside the shop just after 4pm and spoke to an officer, and he said there was a suspected bomb up the road.
“A little while later they came in and told us to stop everything we are doing and leave immediately.
“I had to go down the road to convince my boss and his family that there was a bomb - they thought I was winding them up and that I wanted to get out of work early.”
He added: “Whilst we were waiting for the road to reopen a few of us overheard on one of the officer’s radio: ‘…have to deal with the wires’. He immediately turned away from us and lowered the volume on his radio.
“But credit to the police, the officers there were really good at keeping us all informed.”
Alex, who works at the Rock House Bed and Breakfast, said the bomb disposal was parked van on the business’s driveway.
He explained that he would normally already be home, but stayed at the hotel to watch a football game with colleagues.
“I had just finished my shift at 5pm, but we were watching Liverpool vs Manchester City, so I was still there.
“If I have left earlier I would have been home. In the end I still missed the game.”