'Hoax' device detonated at U of T Scarborough campus, cops say

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Police detonated a suspicious package at University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus that was later deemed to be a “hoax” device.

Toronto Police said they responded to reports of the suspicious package just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday at the campus in the Ellesmere Rd.-Morningside Ave. area, adding that a building was evacuated and roads were closed in the area.

The explosives disposal unit was called in to investigate the package, which police said had the “characteristics of an explosive device” after they used a remote robot to photograph and X-ray it.

Duty-Insp. Dan Pravica told reporters the package was detonated and deemed to be a “hoax” device, adding it did not contain an “explosive component.

“At this point, there’s no further risk to public safety,” Pravica said at a news conference at 43 Division.

The university said in a statement on its website that campus safety officers found a suspicious package in the environmental sciences and chemistry building, which was then evacuated.

Military Trail and two parking lots were closed as well, while the nearby Instructional Centre was also evacuated out of an “abundance of caution.”

Police gave the school the all-clear to reopen just before 7 p.m. after the K9 unit swept the building for any other packages, although the environmental sciences and chemistry building remained “closed for now,” the school said.

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