For almost three hours Belvedere Road near Palm Beach International Airport was shut down while the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Arson and Bomb Squad investigated two suspicious backpacks found at the Navy Operational Support Center on Marine Drive.
A man who showed up at the Naval Center with the backpacks refused to say what was inside of them.
He was taken into custody under the Baker Act, which provides legal procedures for mental health examination and treatment.
RELATED: Pictures from the scene
The bomb squad spent about 2 and a half hours investigating the backpacks. Deputies used robots to check them for possible explosives.
Investigators didn't find anything explosive in them, only the man's personal items.
Workers at surrounding businesses. like Career Source, were forced to evacuate.
“I was filing my unemployment like I usually do on Thursdays. They came and said we had to evacuate,” said Daniel Gardner. “(They) didn't say why but told us we had to leave.”
Lucy Morales, who came to Career Source to look for work, added, "I was getting comfortable at the computer I was at," she said. "All of a sudden I hear this announcement."
The announcement called for everyone at the employment center to evacuate.
"We do a sweep through make sure everybody is out, there aren't any incidents," said Tom Veenstra, the executive director of the center. "And we report to the officers that the building is clear, everyone's assembled over here."
Veenstra says about 70 employees and 30 customers were evacuated.
People said they were relieved when they got the all clear to go back inside after spending hours waiting outside. Many also said they're thankful the situation didn't turn out to be much worse.
"My concern is if it actually [was] a bomb, God forbid, if it was, think of all the people that could get hurt," said Morales. "it's sad."
Both east and westbound lanes of Belvedere Rd reopened. Bomb squad has left @WPTV @Fox29WFLX
— Gabrielle Sarann (@GabrielleSarann) January 7, 2016
UPDATE: The scene at the #NavalReserveCenter has been CLEARED. @WPTV
— EricP_WPTV (@EricPasquarelli) January 7, 2016
ALL CLEAR The PBSO Bomb and Arson Unit have declared this scene to be safe. Personal items were found in the back packs.
— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) January 7, 2016
