Bomb Threat at Columbia High Is Cleared

As final exams loom, students trying to prepare found their studies interrupted Tuesday morning by a bomb threat at Columbia High School in Maplewood. Police and fire personnel from Maplewood and South Orange had responded to the threat by 8:21 a.m., clearing the school and sending any students and teachers who were already on site out through their designated fire drill exits.

The Essex County Sheriff responded with its bomb squad unit and used specially trained dogs to sweep the building. By approximately 9:30 a.m., according to Maplewood Fire Department Captain Kevin Hayes, the Sheriff's dogs had swept the school and declared no credible threat.

Meanwhile, students and teachers could be found at various points around the school—on Academy, Hixon and North Terrace, sitting and standing on lawns, sidewalks and streets. The largest group congregated on Kensington Terrace. There, students were chatting, checking their digital devices, working on laptops and reading books and notes. Others were playing baseball. All in all, the teachers and other staff kept the students orderly.

Several teachers noted that this was the first bomb threat of this school year—a fact that was confirmed by Captain Hayes. In general, they said that bomb threats had been few and far between ever since a spate of threats directly following the events of 9/11.

By 9:30 a.m. teachers were receiving word via walkie-talkie that the school had been cleared and students would be returning to class and starting the day at period 2.

CHS Principal Dr. Lovie Lilly was unavailable to speak to the press this morning, though she was on site and coordinating with police and fire personnel.

Captain Hayes noted that all bomb threats are taken seriously. "It's that kind of world we're living in."