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As many as 1,000 people were evacuated from Edmonton highrises and nearby construction sites were closed Thursday after a duffel bag was left outside the new Edmonton Tower, police said.

The skyscraper, at 101 Street and 104 Avenue, was emptied after a security guard had an interaction with an unknown male just before 7 a.m.

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The suspect indicated the contents of a bag may have been explosives, Edmonton Police Service downtown division Sgt. Curtis Maron said.

“Due to that, we basically had to cordon the area off for public safety and call in the explosives unit,” he said.

Maron praised the security guard’s response. Up to 15 police units were dispatched to the scene, as well as firefighters and paramedics.

“If you see something suspicious or someone makes a comment that makes you believe there is a suspicious package, don’t touch it, just keep an eye on it and let police know,” he said.

“Public safety is our No. 1 priority, especially considering the world nowadays.”

The city’s service centre in Edmonton Tower were shut down for several hours.

“It inconvenienced a lot of people, but in the end it was a safe conclusion,” Maron said.

He described the event as “more of a hoax than anything,” adding the suspect could face mischief charges.

“It really made a mess of our downtown core,” he said.

jgraney@postmedia.com

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