Suspicious container on Sisters sidewalk brings out OSP bomb squad

A block of downtown Sisters was cordoned off and the Oregon State Police Bomb Unit was called in Friday to check out a suspicious black container, the size of an ice cooler, found on the sidewalk by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Department.

As it turned out, it contained a portable wood router and accessories, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deschutes County 911 got a call around 6:45 a.m. regarding the suspicious container by the fire district office at 301 South Elm Street.

Deputies responded and determined that due to the time frame and the “out of the norm location,” they blocked off the area for one block within sight of the container, according to a news release.

Sisters public works and road crews arranged road closures and detours and maintained staff at the intersections to make sure no one got too close, deputies said.

The OSP Bomb Unit was contacted and told about the container, also sent photos to examine. The unit, a multi-agency cooperative assisted by the FBI in the case, was sent to the scene and used specialized equipment to scan the container.

After examining the scanned image, the bomb squad decided to use a water cannon-type device to open the container from a distance.

As it turned out, deputies said, “There was no danger to the community and no explosive device.”