Suspicious item prompts closure at Burbank’s Buena Vista Public Library
Several streets surrounding the Buena Vista Public Library were closed Friday morning as Burbank police investigated a suspicious item found inside the building, police said.
Library employees called the Burbank Police Department around 7:50 a.m. after encountering the unattended item. Officers discovered that it was a 12-volt battery connected to a charging system, according to Burbank Police Sgt. Derek Green.
“The charging system was plugged into an outlet and a black powder-like substance was scattered on the floor nearby,” Green said. “Due to the unusual circumstances, the library and the area immediately surrounding it [were] cordoned off.”
Join the conversation on Facebook >>
Burbank Fire’s Hazardous Materials Unit and the arson/explosives detail for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene.
Green said the battery was “rendered safe” shortly before 11 a.m., and the roads surrounding the library were reopened. The library did not reopen until 1 p.m.
The incident is still under investigation and anyone with information may call Burbank police at (818) 238-3210.
--
Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
