Bomb threats from Maine area code called into area hospitals, businesses

B o m b t h r e a t s w e r e called into five locations, including three area hospitals, over a two- hour period in Allegheny and Washington counties Thursday night.

No bombs were found, Allegheny County police said.

The threats, which came in five separate calls starting about 8 p. m., were traced to a Maine area code, police said Friday.

But, they cautioned, “This does not necessarily mean the calls originated from that state.”

The threats were made against Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison; St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon; Monongahela Valley Hospital in Carroll, Washi n g t o n C o u n t y ; t h e Benedum Center, Downtown; and D’s Six Pax and Dogz in Swissvale.

“Each time the caller would state there was a bomb in the business. Some reported the calls s e e m e d p r e r e c o r d e d . Others described that the caller seemed to interact on the call. The caller was male and preliminarily seemed to be the same person on each call,” police said.

County police said they will seek federal help to investigate the threats.

A spokesman for St. Clair Hospital said it received a non- specific bomb threat from an unknown caller at about 9 p. m.

“Out of an abundance of caution and in keeping with established policy, the hospital was searched, and no explosive devices were f o u n d , ” s a i d h o s p i t a l spokesman Bob Crytzer.

He said there was “no disruption to patient care,” and the hospital resumed normal operation by 11: 10 p. m.