Emergency Services Respond To Bomb Threat
[Updating] At sometime around 10am this morning [Aug 12] emergency services responded to the Bermudiana Road area in Hamilton due to what we understand to be a bomb threat. Further details are limited at this time, will will update as able.
Update 10.38am: Police Media Manager Dwayne Caines said, “At 9.57am, Bermuda Police and Fire and Rescue received a report of a bomb at the Rosebank Centre of Butterfield Bank.
“Bank staff immediately initiated their fire safety strategy, and all the staff have been put in safe fire zones in the surrounding areas.
“Presently, officers from the Bermuda Police Service and the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service are assessing the scene and we will update the media as warranted.”
Update 10.51am: Mr Caines said, “In the abundance of caution, the buildings surrounding the Bank have been evacuated — Clarendon House, Bank of Bermuda etc — and the streets have been cordoned off.”
Update 11.50am: Mr Caines said, “At 11.40am, the Bermuda Police Service Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit [EOD] entered the building. They have been tasked with going through each floor of the bank. This is a process the police believe will take from 1 to 2 hours.”
Update 12.03pm: Photos of the BPS team heading into the bank
Update 4.53pm: A police spokesperson said, “At 9.52 am First Responders attended a report of a bomb threat at Butterfield Bank, Rose Bank Center. As a result the Butterfield bank instituted their emergency protocols and all bank personnel were detained in safe areas.
“The surrounding buildings, HSBC Compass Point, Clarendon House and The TIGER ESSO Station were duly evacuated.
“The adjoining roads Par La Ville Road, Richmond Road and Church Street were cordoned off. The Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit [EODU] conducted a thorough search of the entire building. The building was officially cleared for use at 1pm with the adjoining roads opening at that time.
“An active investigation into this incident is underway and anyone with information is asked to contact Chief Inspector Calvin Smith on extension 247-1032.
“The Bermuda Police Service wishes to thank the public for their cooperation and patience.”
Lets pray it’s a prank and that the/se prankster/s are caught! Good to see pre- cautionary measure were taken…
Of course it’s a prank. Do people have any idea of how hard it is to successfully construct and then transport a bomb to its destination? First of all, you have to source the materials which is hard to do. Then you need to construct the bomb using materials that are unstable-most bomb makers end up blowing themselves to smithereens half way through the job. Then the same thing applies to transporting the bomb which will be very unstable-chances are the thing will blow up while you’re trying to get it to wherever you want to set it off. That’s why when someone is genuinely making a bomb, they’ll do part of it at home or wherever, and then do the final bit of assembly wherever they want to detonate it so they’ll need time and a secure place to do that where they won’t be disturbed.
Do you honestly think they could do that in most places never mind inside a bank with tons of cameras and lots of pokey Bermudians who’ll be asking “What’s that thing for, bye?” There’s no way they’d get away with it.
We should never take anything for granted but I doubt most people know enough to successfully build a bomb, never mind one strong enough to do some serious damage. As I said, if someone tried the odds are far greater that they’ll blow their own arms off before they can even get the thing out of their house.
You must be so fun at parties. We really didn’t need the long explanation as most people know that chances are high that there is no bomb.
It’s called being logical. Some people need things laid out for them as they’re liable to believe anything.
There’s a dork in every crowd.
@Next: From the looks of it, most people do believe it. Some folks were saying it was probably a prank and Think is trying to explain the odds that it most likely was a prank, and why. Just because you want to stay ignorant doesn’t mean that other people want to as well. I thought it was very interesting and I’ve seen some real stories on here, including from you.
I should probably remind you of the recient bombing in Boston… 2 kids… hosehold ingredients, and carried through crowds of people…
Bombs are not alwys devices of mass distruction… Mass disruption is normally their goal.. (never judge a bomb by it’s size)
@What: You really believe the official story on that, huh? Those ‘kids’ had professional help-from whom is the million dollar question. I doubt any Bermudian could carry that off…where are we going to get the supplies, for one? As someone else mentioned, it’s not that easy to get the supplies, especially in Bermuda.
Garbage …’Think about it’.
Go to Police Headquarters and check the registry for explosive registered persons.
Go down Baileys Bay and other places to see where they used.
Hell. I just dropped off……in st George………..on my yatch…….
Some people.
MORON
I’m gettin tired of this crap, probably is a prank. These people probably just doin this to make the news
How can you get tired of it when it rarely happens? Bet you wouldn’t be saying that if it were a real bomb now would you??
Obviously you haven’t made it nowhere in life…if you would think what’s been happening in Bermuda lately with gun violence robberies etc its the same crap happening. This is probably the same group of people just acting as usual. That’s what I’m tired of
“Obviously you haven’t made I nowhere in life”. For as smart as you are What D Flop are you really happy with that sentence? SMH
Yes… Z read into that thing too deep. I’m referring to being tired of Bermudas situations and here that thing comes tryna be smart like seriously stick ya head back in d ground. Up here blowing a innocent comment out of proportion.
By d way I said “Obviously you haven’t made it nowhere in life” Nowhere in that sentence did I say “I”. Now let me ask you are you really happy with that sentence?? Learn how to read
Don’t hold your breath on that real bomb thing. I’d be more worried about someone using guns or a machete; those are more realistic options than a bomb.
Yeah, cuz there are just SOOOO many bomb threats these days… *eye rolling*
As for you shut up and use your mind and think…thats if you have the ability to
You seem angry. LOL.
This is the second (the other being at a middle school) in as many months! This is 2 too many!!!
People are so stressed and depressed these days I wouldn’t be surprised if someone did make this threat. Don’t think this cant happen here….. so BPS have to take things like this very serious. The struggle is real for real!!!
Yes, the struggle is real…let all go off our heads and run rampant in the streets that will show someone.
who said anything about running rampant in the streets?? @ silence do good. stay silent please n thank you.
Bermuda is turning a corner and on the up. The UBP days where you could walk into a job of your choice, have two if you wanted went the way of the dodo under the PLP.
And, like clockwork, political parties get thrown into the discussion. Well, at least it’s slightly better than religion.
” The UBP days where you could walk into a job of your choice, have two if you wanted”
LMAO! I can guess what “type” of Bermudian you are..
“Type of Bermudian”. lol. Just had to throw that into the mix.
Prolly just somebodies left over mac n cheese and jerk chicken from yesterday SMFH!!!
It wasn’t a bomb. Their ‘no money down’ mortgages finally blew up on them.
I am a little shocked, a bomb is a bomb it could have been made right there in the building! After all the bombs that have gone off around the world you can’t take it as a joke. If a person wants to bomb you they will and they don’t really give a rats butt where it goes off! It could be a joke and then again maybe not. But the people of BDA need to be safe.
I hope that the police were dressed appropriately in Hazmat suits ready to detonate any bombs if found and not the blue tees and army pants that I see them dressed in. How can we take this seriously when the police are not dressed the part? snore
What exactly is a hazmat suit do?
If the police find a bomb then somone will dress in the disposal suit (if required) hopefully they have the robot ready to go and get whatever (if anything) is found.
I think the whole idea is NOT to detonate any bomb.
Either you have no idea what a hazmat suit is, or you’re grossly over estimating the protective abilities of one.
Amazed, well nothing was found so there was no need for hazmat suits…as if that would be of any protection to an EXPLOSIVE.. Omg you really are a numpty. I hope you aren’t a mariner.
A hazmat suit is for biological warfare. It wouldn’t help against a bomb. I think you mean a blast suit but you’re right. The police probably felt it wasn’t a real threat.
Hey…we’re talking about bankers here…let’s be sentient of this description please…
do we have bomb experts? are there any contigency plans “in case” something of any emergency happens on a largere scale? what is a bomb threat? is it someone just merely calling and saying it or is it in collaboration with possible camera footage? is two hours enough to assess what could be a possibility of a real threat? what about the kind of bomb and where it would be located and how it would affect the surrounding buildings ect… many questions about these recent “so called” bomb threats, and the proceedures that follow..the public should be made aware of at least what is considered a “bomb threat” what language was used to make it believeable?
i hope the person(s) responsible are properly identified and charged in court for criminal mischief. the financial costs suffered by several businesses – restaurants, banks, law firms, gas station etc for loss of sales/revenue, loss of productivity, staff salaries for the day, overtime for staff who need to work out of hours to get caught up and other costs, must be approaching the $2 million mark not to mention the negative impact on our country’s reputation as a stable place to do business.
it’s a fact – idiots just don’t think.