Police reopen Boulevard Road, say pipes found were not explosives

Boulevard Road Southeast near 15th Avenue Southeast has reopened after Washington State Patrol’s bomb squad determined two pipes found in the area Monday morning were not explosives, according to Olympia police.

“There’s no indication they were purposely put there to cause a threat or alarm. There was no wire or detonating device attached to them, and the contents was something like sand or dirt,” Olympia police Lt. Paul Lower said.

The pipes were found about 10:30 a.m. Monday across the street from the Olympia Regional Learning Academy on 15th Avenue, Lower said. The school was initially locked down, then closed after 11 a.m. Monday, according to the Olympia School District.

Nearby residents were told to remain in their homes as police responded, according to scanner traffic.

Boulevard Road was closed in both directions. Once the pipes were removed, the road reopened at about 2:30 p.m.

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 11:01 AM.