Logan bomb scare proves false

University and city police were called to Logan Hall early yesterday morning in response to a bomb threat in the building, but the scare proved false when police found only air conditioner parts in the suspected box. Just after midnight, an unidentified man called WPVI-TV Channel 6 news and threatened that he would place a bomb in a University building within the hour. According to sources at WPVI, the caller gave no explanation for his intentions in placing the bomb. The timing of the threat coincided with the outbreak of war in the Persian Gulf and amid nationwide concern over the possibility of terrorist attacks. University Police Spokesperson Sylvia Canada said yesterday that at 12:21 a.m., Philadelphia Police Radio reported a bomb threat at 249 South 36th Street in Logan Hall. Philadelphia Police, assisted by University Police, formed a command post on the south side of Logan Hall. Canada said that the Philadelphia Police bomb unit then entered and searched the building for any suspicious looking items. Shortly after the search began, Canada said, the unit reported to the command post that they had found a box wrapped in plastic near an air conditioner on the east side of the building. The box was removed and the building was thoroughly searched to insure that no people were inside. At 1:10 a.m. the bomb unit determined that the box contained an air conditioner air compressor. At that point, Canada added, University police officers went back to their regular patrols. Jim Miller, the University's director of fire and occupational safety, said yesterday that while it is impossible to guess why someone would make such a threat, the situation in the Persian Gulf might be a possibility. "I would have no way of knowing," Miller said. "But it would be a fair assumption to make." Physical Plant Executive Director Jim Wargo said, however, that the threat may have had absolutely nothing to do with the outbreak of war in Iraq. "It could be any sort of person who likes to see police and firemen chasing around frantically," he said. Barbara Greco, the building manager of Logan Hall, refused to comment yesterday on whether any additional security measures would be taken. Canada said that police have received no requests for additional security.

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