An East Pierce Fire and Rescue station was evacuated briefly this morning when a local resident brought in what appeared to be a pipe bomb.

The man, who lived in the neighborhood, found the suspicious-looking package that included a small pipe and a fuse, and brought it to the fire station on 214th Avenue East for identification.

The firefighters immediately contacted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. After a sergeant confirmed it was a pipe bomb, the Pierce County bomb squad was mobilized. They evacuated a 300-foot radius around the device that included the fire station. The firefighters also moved the fire engine and medic unit from the immediate area.

Using a robot to bring the bomb from the station to the parking lot, the bomb squad safely detonated the device. A portion of 214th Avenue East was closed for approximately 30 minutes during the operation.

The firefighters were allowed to return to their station just before noon. There were no calls for that crew during that time.

“If you find anything that looks like an explosive device, do not to touch or transport it,” Assistant Chief Ed Goodlet said in a press release. Citizens are advised to call 9-1-1 immediately, but not to use a cell phone or radio within 500 feet of the device.

According to Acting Battalion Chief Matt Jewitt, part of the problem is that you don’t know what the bomb is made of or how stable it is.

“It’s not the explosion that’s the scary part, it’s the shrapnel,” he says. “It doesn’t take much to cause a life-altering injury. Leave it in place and call law enforcement.”