Mall evacuated after explosion at Florida mall. Several explosives found, reports say
A central Florida mall was evacuated after an explosion led to police discovering make-shift explosive devices and a backpack near a store entrance, according to various news reports.
According to ABC 7, police and fire rescue were called after a fire was reported at the Eagle Ridge Mall in Lake Wales.
When fire officials arrived at around 5:22 p.m., smoke was spotted near the entrance of JCPenney — an explosion had occurred, the station reported.
WFTV 9 reported there were no injuries but that the Lake Wales Police Department has launched a criminal investigation, alongside the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the State Fire Marshall, and the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad.
Officials have released information on a person of interest: a heavy-set, middle-aged white male wearing a gray shirt and a gray hat, according to WESH 2.
BREAKING: Shoppers evacuated from Eagle Ridge Mall after explosive device detonated. https://t.co/pOlJglOPP6
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) January 22, 2018
Multiple agencies are working an active scene involving an explosion inside the Eagle Ridge Mall according to Lake Wales Police...One device went off in the service coordinator, similar devises were found in a back pack in the same area they say...No injuries reported...
— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) January 22, 2018
Monique O. Madan: 305-376-2108, @MoniqueOMadan
Carli Teproff: 305-376-3587, @CTeproff
This story was originally published January 21, 2018 at 10:32 PM with the headline "Mall evacuated after explosion at Florida mall. Several explosives found, reports say."