Damariscotta Police Chief Steve Drake has confirmed that a “bomb scare” prompted the closing of the Damariscotta Hannafords’ grocery store earlier this afternoon.
Drake said a message indicating some type of bomb threat had been found in the store, adding it is unknown if the message was left recently.
However authorities are acting on the side of caution, Drake said. Two state police bomb detecting dogs have been called to the scene and were en route as of 3:40 p.m. Drake said.
Units from the Damariscotta Fire Dept. are currently blocking the entrance to the Damariscotta Hannaford’s store on Bus. Rt. 1. Damariscotta Fire Chief Neil Genthner Jr., confirmed the Fire Dept. was acted at the request of the Damariscotta Police.
“The police department asked the fire department to block off the entrance and to not let any vehicles in and to assist getting vehicles out of the parking lot as well as evacuating the store,” Genthner said.
As of 3:20 p.m., the store appears evacuated. Along with a Damariscotta Police cruiser, there were very few private vehicles left in the lot, according to The Lincoln County News reporter on the scene.
Drake said he could not estimate how long it would be before responders could begin clearing the scene.
“Unknown,” Drake said. “We have state police travel time, then probably another hour on top of that. It’s a big building.”
