No injuries reported and no threat was made against the school before the explosion at the Rossiter elementary school playground

This article is more than 11 months old

This article is more than 11 months old

Montana authorities said an improvised explosive device blew up in an elementary school playground in Helena on Tuesday morning.

The Lewis and Clark county sheriff, Leo Dutton, said nobody was injured when the explosive detonated at the Rossiter elementary school playground.

Dutton said no threat was made against the school before the explosion and authorities were investigating. It was not immediately clear if the explosion damaged any property.

Abigail Lee, a third-grader, said the explosive device made a dent in the ground. She saw the device by a basketball hoop, she said, shortly before school staff told her to get away from the area.

Students were evacuated from the school after authorities made sure the path was clear of other devices. Helena superintendent Tyler Ream said the 490 students walked several blocks to their evacuation area. School buses were brought in to keep the kids warm while they waited for their parents to pick them up.

All schools in Helena and East Helena were locked down and searched by officers. The lockdowns were lifted after searches turned up no further explosive devices.

The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana highway patrol assisted sheriff’s and Helena police officials in the investigation.