LDS center is evacuated due to false bomb alarm

An LDS congregation was evacuated shortly before services Sunday morning and the bomb squad was called after church leaders spotted a pair of objects in the chapel that police at first called "suspicious."

It turned out to be a false alarm.

The objects were actually parts for a new air-monitoring system that had been installed Saturday by an outside contractor, Lt. C.T. Smith of the Salt Lake City Police Department said.

Smith said police found two white boxes, each about 3 inches by 5 inches attached with what appeared to be green bungee cords to a heating vent about 12 to 15 feet off the floor. They were located near the rear of the chapel of the Salt Lake Highland Stake Center, 2738 S. Filmore St.

Police responding to the scene about 10 a.m. regarded the objects as "suspicious" and called the bomb squad, Smith said.

Smith said the building's custodian did not know that any work had been done Saturday so, as a precaution, members of the Imperial 1st Ward were evacuated.

About 12:40 p.m., it was determined the boxes were part of a new air-monitoring system and the building was cleared for use, the police spokesman said.

The building, which houses two wards and stake offices, has been remodeled extensively over the past two years and was rededicated Jan. 21.