Bomb threat evacuates large building at URI

By Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

Up to 700 people were evacuated from a building at the University of Rhode Island after a report of a bomb threat, a school spokeswoman said.

The state’s fire marshal and a bomb squad rushed to the Kingston campus, where students, faculty, and staff were warned to stay away from Independence Hall. Several university streets were also closed.

Authorities began searching the building at 12:50 p.m. There have not been any reports of an actual bomb being found.

University police received a call just after noon from a person who had overheard a conversation about a bomb threat at Independence Hall, said Linda Acciardo, a URI spokeswoman. About 700 students were scheduled to be in the three-story academic building at the time.

A campuswide alert was sent via text message, voicemail, and e-mail. “We used our emergency alert system to send messages to faculty, staff, and students,” Acciardo said.

Classes on the rest of campus have not been canceled.

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