Washington: A microwave oven caused momentary disruption and a detour to a marathon in Pittsburgh, and a bomb squad had to be brought in to confirm it had no explosive.
The Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday drew the full-scale response of a police team after a passer-by said an oven kept near a sidewalk contained a pipe bomb.
Police launched an investigation to know the oven came up on the sidewalk, just a couple of blocks from the marathon's finish line.
"Based on what was seen inside and the preliminary findings of the bomb techs, we don't believe there were any explosive materials," acting police Kevin Kraus was quoted as saying by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on Monday.
Police shut down access to a few areas, and switched the last portion of the marathon to a different route.
The bomb scare came a day after a vehicle containing several explosive devices was found in New York City's Times Square.
IANS
First Published: Monday, May 03, 2010, 15:42