Bomb threat evacuates Wal-Mart

WASILLA — A bomb threat that sparked the evacuation of Wal-Mart and closed the store for about 90 minutes Thursday evening turned out to be a dud.

Someone called the retail store about 6 p.m., saying there was a bomb in the building and it was set to explode, Wasilla Police Chief Gene Belden said.

“Someone called on an unmarked line, or a line that left no ID number, and said there was a bomb at Wal-Mart and it was going to blow up in 45 minutes,” Belden said.

Wasilla police, with the assistance of Alaska State Troopers, evacuated the building and waited the 45 minutes, the chief said. Responders also closed Seward Meridian Parkway south of the Parks Highway and blocked off access to Wal-Mart following the threat. Police also placed red flares in the road.

At about 6:45 p.m., the vehicles moved to the front of the building, which would coincide with the timeline Belden gave for the threat of explosion. Attempts to get closer to the scene were not permitted, with police telling people the store was closed.

After the 45 minutes made in the threat came and went with no explosion, Belden said police searched the store.

“We didn’t find a thing,” he said. “We went back in after the allotted time, made a sweep and found nothing, so we opened it up again.”

Police are investigating the source of the threat, he said. “We’re doing interviews right now.”