Suspicious package found near New Jersey train station

A suspicious package was discovered on the Northeast Corridor railway track in Elizabeth, New Jersey, causing suspension of services, the authorities said.

Elizabeth Mayor Christian Bollwage confirmed that a suspicious item was found on Sunday night in the area of North Broad and Westfield Avenue, CBSNewYork reported.

The mayor said the suspicious package was found by two men in a garbage can near the train stop.

The scavengers had at first pulled it apart, "assuming it was of value" but when they found wires attached to it they left it under the train tracks and informed police, he said.

Mayor Bollwage said that the Union County Bomb Squad using drone had examined the package and found "it could be suspicious and could be a live bomb," he added.

The FBI was on the scene and New Jersey State Police were also called to investigate.

Businesses were shut down in the area around the train line. It was evacuated and secured as bomb technicians carried out a remote checking with robots.

A specialised Hazmat team was also requested at the scene.

Service were temporarily suspended between Newark Airport and Elizabeth stations in both directions.

Mayor Bollwage had also tweeted that there was no threat to public safety as the package was secured and investigated.

This comes after separate bombings in New York City and Seaside Park, New Jersey. It is not currently known if this incident is not connected to the other two.

Sunday evening, the FBI took several people into custody with a possible connection to the bombing in Chelsea, New York City.

--IANS

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