Customers and employees were evacuated from the Emeryville Home Depot at about 2:34 p.m. this afternoon at after a report of a suspicious package. The package was noticed in the front of the store among some potted plants and flowers.

The Emeryville Police Department issued a Nixle alert for the public to avoid the area and The Alameda County Sheriff’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Squad (EOD) was dispatched to the scene.

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After initially using an x-ray scanner on the package, a bomb squad technician outfitted in a disposal suit and helmet placed a controlled explosive device in the proximity of the suspicious package.

After issuing a verbal warning to officials and spectators, they detonated the charge at about 3:47 p.m. and a moderate explosion shook the area.

The technician extracted the object from among what appeared to be a couple of clothing items and officers could be seen documenting the item in a plastic tub.

The EPD has issued a follow-up alert noting the removal of the threat but we do not have information on when Home Depot will reopen.

Since this is breaking news, we will update this story as new information becomes available.

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