Suspicious device found in German Township not a bomb, officials say
GERMAN TWP. — Emergency officials closed down a popular walking trail in German Township on Tuesday after someone spotted what appeared to be a pipe bomb along the trial.
However, after several hours of investigation, the Allegheny County Bomb Squad determined that the suspicious device on Brown’s Run Trail was not incendiary in nature and it was taken into evidence for further analysis, according to state police.
Township supervisor Dan Shimshock said that the township was alerted of the item Tuesday morning by someone who had been on the trail and he said that after his fellow supervisors conducted a visual inspection of the material in question, the state police were called.
Investigators reported that the item appeared to be a section of metal pipe with some tape on it that was laying near the trail where a trail expansion project is under way.
“We weren’t sure and we wanted to be safe, so we contacted the state police to come have a look,” Shimshock said.
Police were also unsure of the item and its contents and in turn called in the bomb squad for additional investigation.
While police and bomb squad personnel were on the trail examining the item, volunteer firefighters from Ronco closed down the trail as well as a portion of Short Cut Road.
Fayette EMS also responded to the incident.