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'Suspicious' truck at Hanscom AFB cleared, containers taken for testing

HANSCOM — Part of Hanscom Air Force Base was evacuated Thursday after security forces found "potentially explosive material" on a vehicle entering the base.

Security Forces were doing a routine vehicle inspection when around 9 a.m. they detected something that caused response actions.

After a large response, including the bomb squad and K-9s, the truck was cleared around 1 p.m. Hanscom Air Force Base said shipping containers from the truck contained "potentially concerning residue" and they have been taken for further testing.

"We are 100 percent confident there is no explosive or energetic material that was encased inside of that truck. However, we did get a positive read inside of those containers, so we are sending that to a lab," said Sgt. William Qualls, unit commander of the State Police Bomb Squad.

State Police said it is a high priority to figure out what was on the containers. Qualls said it is more than likely cross contamination that led to the positive test results.

State Police said the initial screenings and tests, including two trace detection test and a K-9 explosive detector, revealed "potentially explosive material." The base was temporarily closed at the Vandenberg Route 2A Gate and evacuated several nearby facilities.

Sky25 captured video of a dog and an officer inspecting a truck near the gate of the base.

The truck was parked at the corner of Langley Drive and Vandenberg Road

The truck was from "Big Foot Moving and Storage," which is a local moving company. The CEO of Big Foot Moving said the truck contains "household goods." Hanscom officials said that truck was for someone moving onto the base.

Police said the driver of the moving truck was questioned and released. State Police said set up a perimeter extending 1,500 feet from the truck in all directions, but after 1 p.m., opened the gates and allowed traffic in and out.

In a news conference around 2:30 p.m., police and Air Force said their response was large but appropriate.

"Given the time we will live, we operate out of an abundance of caution," said Major Fran Lahey with the Massachusetts State Police.

Hanscom AFB emerged as the Air Force's center for development and acquisition of electronic systems in 1945. It has played a large role in the high tech area in Cambridge, working with MIT and Harvard during times of war in the past.

More than 10,000 active duty, Reserve and National Guard personnel, along with contractors and civilians are supported, sustained and employed by Hanscom.

There is privatized housing on the base, with a total of 731 homes.

No one was injured during the investigation.

WATCH LIVE: Sky25 over Hanscom Air Force Base

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