Suspicious pipe blown up near Federal Penitentiary

VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - Bomb teams were called to Terre Haute, near the federal penitentiary on S.R. 63, after what was believed to be pipe bomb was discovered in southern Vigo County.

The device is being called an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) by officials.

Around 1:30 p.m., police say someone in the neighborhood saw a suspicious looking pipe and they called 911.

That's when the Vigo County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police and bomb specialists responded.

People in the neighborhood were told to stay inside their homes and a section of S.R. 63 between Springhill and Lombardi were sectioned off.

Because the location was next to the Penitentiary, the FBI was also called in.

A couple of hours later the bomb was “rendered safe.”

Now, police are crediting the neighbor for calling it in.

"We can't stress enough, if you come across a device that looks like a pipe bomb or looks like any explosive device, do not handle it, do not investigate it yourself, dial 911 and get the appropriate personnel on the scene,” said Joe Watts of the Indiana State Police.

Police are still looking at how the bomb ended up in this area and are asking anyone with information to call police.