Obviously, on the anniversary of September 11, everyone’s on high alert. This morning around 11:30, police were called to 50 West 72nd Street, which is just East of Columbus Avenue, on reports of a suspicious device, according to scanner traffic.
When we arrived at the scene around 11:45, the half-dozen Emergency Service Unit officers next to the building were smiling, and no buildings were closed off, indicating that he potential threat was clearly over. It turned out to be one of those novelty lighters shaped like a grenade, a resident of the building told us.
Memo to everyone: maybe put your novelty war implements away for the day. Thanks.