Ware residents angry over bomb search

WARE, Mass. (WWLP) - All is quiet in Ware Monday after an anonymous phone call prompted a day long search, but residents now say they're outraged over the town's response.

Still no details on the threatening phone call that set off a day long search in Ware, but it was the lack of details in a phone call residents received that caused them to panic.

Sabrina Atunes of Ware said, “I got to a point I started crying. ”

The recorded phone message sent to residents said in part, “Because of a possible hazardous material incident on West Street in the vicinity of the high school, West Street will be closed to traffic until further notice.  Also all activities scheduled on school grounds have been canceled."  

22News was there all day long as search crews on foot with dogs fanned the area and helicopters searched from above.

But as hours passed with no new information from the town residents began to doubt this was a hazardous materials situation.

Antunes explained, “At that point I started to get scared because i started to hear rumors that it was a bomb threat and that's when I really started to believe that it was a bomb threat and not what they were trying to tell us over that recording."

Some residents decided to leave town, others stayed indoors, unsure of what to do.

Brian Nowick, who grew up in Ware, told 22News, “It's just having a son and daughter live in this area, actually about a half a mile from this area, scares me, it's very scary.

Nine hours later at a news conference, town manager Stuart Beckley told 22News the call was actually a bomb threat and their search turned up nothing.

The phone call that started the search Sunday came into the police department but was not recorded.

Ware police officer Chris Desantis told 22News the response was a precaution and if there were any real threat there would have been evacuations.    

Gary Hoskin ,    Ware 's Emergency Management Director, told 22News he doesn't know why residents panicked.

He declined an on camera interview but told 22News on the phone he didn't receive any complaints about the lack of information.

When we shared information on the dozens of calls and complaints sent to 22News he said, ”We can't please everyone."