“Suspicious Device” Was a Can of Applesauce at Schuylkill County Courthouse

A suspicious item found in a parking lot at Schuylkill County Courthouse Tuesday morning turned out to be a can of applesauce.

The report of the suspicious item prompted an evacuation of the Courthouse just before 11 a.m. Employees, visitors, and elected officials were ushered out of the building. Ongoing trials were halted.

A large-scale law enforcement response convened upon the Courthouse, everyone from the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office, which first investigated the item after receiving word about it, to the State Police bomb squad and federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The Pennsylvania State Police bomb squad, Pottsville Bureau of Police, Pottsville Fire Dept. and Schuylkill County Office of Emergency Management all assisted in the investigation.

Sanderson St., which loops around Schuylkill County Courthouse, and a block of N. 2nd St. was closed to vehicular and foot traffic for much of the afternoon.

Suspicious Device Discovered in Courthouse Parking Lot

Just before 11 a.m., the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a suspicious item in the parking lot behind the Courthouse. It was on a retaining wall near the steps that lead from the Courthouse to Schuylkill County Prison.

At about 10:45 a.m., deputies from the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office were focused on an area near those steps.

In an update about two hours after the incident began, Schuylkill County Commissioners Chairman Larry Padora said that a passerby notified the Sheriff’s Office of the object in the parking lot. No bomb threat was actually called in to the Courthouse.

That passerby reportedly said the object – later identified as a large (No. 10) size food can – was “smoking”.

More law enforcement officials were summoned to the scene, including members of the State Police bomb squad out of Reading. An X-ray of the can was performed and that reportedly revealed the presence of a “granular” material inside.

Eventually, the can was pierced and “vented” with a high-powered water jet by the State Police bomb squad.

Padora stressed that the object was not detonated.

“There was no detonation. The can did not detonate,” he said.

Regardless of its contents, Padora said that all threats must be taken seriously and that County, local, state, and federal officials all performed their jobs Tuesday.

“You have to take every threat seriously because all it takes is one time for something to go wrong,” Padora said. “Everybody did their job today and thankfully this wasn’t one of those times where something went wrong. I want to commend everyone for their help. Everything was handled professionally.”

No suspects on who may have left the can in the parking lot have been identified. The can was collected into evidence.

Evacuation Procedures Activated

At 10:53 a.m., staff from the Courthouse began evacuation procedures.

When that happened, Coal Region Canary was actively covering the burglary trial of Dennis Powanda Jr. The courtroom had just been adjusted to allow him, in his wheelchair, to testify in his defense. Powanda’s attorney, Joe Nahas, received word of the threat and informed Judge William Burke and everyone in attendance that the building was being evacuated due to a bomb threat.

That jury and other jurors in the building at the time were sequestered together at locations off the Courthouse campus. The jury in the murder trial of John Gustites had just received the case and continued their deliberations at the Adult Probation Office on Third St.

Anyone else in the Courthouse was evacuated to areas surrounding the building, mostly at Humane Fire Co. on Third St. and Laurel Blvd. in Pottsville. Several hundred people in total were evacuated.

Top photo: The applesauce that was contained in the can that was “vented” with a high-powered water jet remained on the ground for a short while after law enforcement left the scene and people were allowed back in the Courthouse. (Coal Region Canary photo)

Subscribe to Coal Region Canary

Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!

Support Coal Region Canary

Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...