An evacuation in Central Maitland on Thursday proved to be a false alarm after a suspicious substance turned out to be a jar of coconut oil.
Police were called to Centrelink on High Street in the afternoon after a man rushed out of the building, leaving a bag behind. A jar containing a white substance was inside the bag.
Police took the necessary precautions and evacuated the building and partially closed High Street while the substance was inspected. Fire and Rescue NSW also sent two crews to the scene.
The building and street returned to normal before 5pm.
INITIAL REPORT
A police operation is currently underway on High Street, Maitland.
A NSW Police Force spokesperson said the operation was underway at the eastern end of High Street, near the intersection of James Street.
The street has been partially closed. Police said people are urged to avoid the area while the operation is underway.
No more information is available at this stage.
Do you know you can subscribe to get full access to all Maitland Mercury stories? Subscribing supports us in our local news coverage. To subscribe, click here.
In the news
-
One pearler of a send off for Pat Allen OAM
-
Dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and even budgies looking for homes
-
Never ending quest for city CCTV funding
-
Sigh of relief: calves on their way to greener pastures
