By Andrew Coen
The bomb scare was called in by someone who noticed a suspicious device that looked like a pipe in the parking lot of the bank at 1280 Broadway. Bank employees and others in nearby businesses were evacuated as a precaution. After a lengthy inspection of the device and the vicinity, the Arson Bomb Squad detonated it at around 12:12 p.m., according to Nassau County Police spokesman Vinny Garcia. After the device was blown up, Arson Bomb Squad officials continued inspecting the area as a precaution.
At press time, police officials said the Arson Bomb Squad was still trying to determine the nature of the contents of the device.
"The police are taking the proper precautions, and there is nothing you can really do about it," said Lerin, who, after waiting at the scene for half an hour, gave up on his post office errand and left the area.
During the police sweep, some businesses in the vicinity were closed and Hewlett High School officials requested that all students who normally frequent the area around Broadway for lunch remain on campus to allow the police to conduct their investigation. Officials from the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach Stella Kay Abraham High School for Girls in nearby Hewlett Bay Park also asked students to remain on the property for a short period, but otherwise operated on a normal schedule, according to a spokeswoman for the yeshiva.
According to Hewlett-Woodmere director of facilities Dennis Sheridan, provisions were implemented at the high school cafeteria in order to accommodate the larger-than-usual lunch crowd. "It was in everyone's best interest to avoid the area," said Sheridan, who added that business at the high school remained rather normal despite the nearby bomb scare. "We were just doing what we could do to help out the police department and keep our students and faculty safe."
"This is something," said Hewlett senior Antine Stephens after walking back to school from his lunch break. "We just saw cop after cop coming."
"It's better safe than sorry," said a Roslyn Savings Bank employee, who identified himself only as Michael, of the precautions being taken while he waited across the street to be allowed back to work. "It's just a wait and see."
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