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Bomb threat closes International Bridge

The International Bridge was closed for more than one-and-a-half hours Friday night after a bomb threat was received shortly after 5 p.m. Officials closed the structure at 5:41 p.m. to search for explosives.
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The International Bridge was closed for more than one-and-a-half hours Friday night after a bomb threat was received shortly after 5 p.m.

Officials closed the structure at 5:41 p.m. to search for explosives.

Nothing was found and the bridge re-opened at 7:18 p.m.

Police from both the Ontario and Michigan Saults participated in the search, with help from coast guard officers and the International Bridge staff.

The bomb threat was relayed to police by a third party on the Canadian side, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service tells SooToday.com.

The following is the full text of an announcement issued by the Michigan Department of Transportation:

**************************************************************** Emergency response plan a-ok at the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge

The International Bridge was closed for close to an hour and a half this evening following a bomb threat.

Sault Ontario police received the threat causing authorities to shut down the span at approximately 5:45 p.m. The International Bridge Administration's Emergency Response Plan was swiftly put into place.

Police from Sault, Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan were assisted in the search by customs and immigration officials from both countries, as well as bridge administration staff.

"We have a detailed plan in place for this type of incident and things went extremely well from that standpoint," said IBA General Manager Phil Becker.

Nothing suspicious was found. The bridge was declared safe and reopened to traffic at approximately 7:15 p.m.

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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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