NEW GLOUCESTER, Maine — A "suspicious device" found on a school bus Thursday afternoon in New Gloucester is under investigation.
The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a "suspicious device" on an MSAD 15 school bus shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday in New Gloucester, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
MSAD 15 serves the towns of Gray and New Gloucester.
"At the time, the bus had a mix of middle and high school-aged students on board, approximately 15 total students," the release stated.
Deputies said the bus driver immediately stopped the bus in a safe location and evacuated the bus.
First responders with the New Gloucester and Auburn fire departments responded to the scene, along with law enforcement. Among responding law enforcement was a Maine State Police Bomb Squad and Bomb Detection K-9 Team, as well as Auburn police.
Ricker Road was shut down to traffic between Bald Hill Road and the Auburn town line for about two hours while the incident was being investigated. It reopened at about 5 p.m.
MSAD 15 school officials "arranged for a unification point for the students evacuated; removing them from the location safely and transporting them to a nearby location," the release said.
Administrative assistant Maggie Humphrey with the Central Office of MSAD 15 said in a news release at about 4 p.m. that the incident occurred on Bus 13 during the middle school/high school drop-off run.
At the scene, Lt. Jim Estabrook with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office told NEWS CENTER Maine that there had been a "suspicious device" on the bus, but he did not believe it was an explosive device.
Humphrey said all students and drivers were safe.
"It has been determined there is no longer a potential threat to the School District, Students or public," the sheriff's office said.
The incident remains under investigation by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division.
