Bomb Threat Sends LIRR Service Screeching to Halt in Hamptons on Sunday: Police

EAST HAMPTON, NY - A bomb threat put the brakes on eastbound Long Island Rail Road service for a short time Sunday morning, in the midst of the holiday weekend, police said.

According to East Hampton Village Police, a call came in at 7:50 a.m. Sunday from MTA police about a bomb on the train that was stopped at the East Hampton LIRR train station.

The train was evacuated and Railroad Avenue was closed until MTA police responded and searched the train with a bomb dog, police said.

The MTA reported that there was no service east of Speonk until the situation was resolved, police said.

The train was cleared and the road reopened at 10 a.m., police said. An MTA investigation continues, police said.

Accord to Salvatore Arena, spokesperson for the MTA Long Island Rail Road, "It turned out to be unfounded."

Arena also provided a sequence of events pertaining to the bomb threat:

• -The 7:04 a.m. from Montauk, due at Penn Station at 9:58 a.m., departs Montauk Station on time.
• Suffolk County Police Department receive a call from a woman who says her ex-boyfriend threatened to blow up the 7:28 AM from East Hampton.
• Suffolk County Police Department relays the info to MTA PD.
• MTA PD on the scene at East Hampton Station.
• The train arrives at East Hampton station at approximately 7:26 a.m.
• MTA Police and LIRR personnel evacuate all passengers from the train. There were 65 passengers on board.
• Train service is temporarily suspended east of Speonk on Montauk Branch
• MTA PD canine unit is called in with bomb-sniffing dogs. Nothing is found.
• MTA Police determines the bomb threat to be unfounded.
• The westbound train is cleared to proceed and passengers are allowed to reboard.
• The train proceeds west approximately one hour and 40 minutes behind schedule.
• Montauk Branch service restored with residual delays for most of the day.