UPDATE 2:09 P.M. -- A Harvard University official says no suspicious devices were found on campus after police received an email claiming that explosive devices may have been hidden inside four buildings.
The buildings were evacuated and access to Harvard Yard was restricted after the email was received Monday morning. The message came shortly before students were set to begin final exams.
Investigators from several agencies searched the buildings for hours and cleared students to return to all four by midafternoon.
In a statement to the Harvard community, Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp says no suspicious devices were found and activities are returning to normal.
School officials would not comment on speculation among students that the email was a hoax timed to coincide with final exams
UPDATE 9:33 A.M. -- According to the Harvard University website the report of explosives remains unconfirmed. More updates on the campus website.
Update: Report of bombs on campus remains unconfirmed. Federal and state officials have joined the probe. Updates: http://t.co/P1g0J5zPQf
— Harvard University (@Harvard) December 16, 2013
Update: Harvard College will communicate guidance about exams scheduled to take place this afternoon as soon as possible.
— Harvard University (@Harvard) December 16, 2013
Photo: Dean Jasmine Waddell with students in Annenberg Hall. Buildings evacuated while report is investigated pic.twitter.com/6Y49KXZqK0
— Harvard University (@Harvard) December 16, 2013
Earlier: (AP) -- The school tweeted that there have been no reports of any explosions.
Three of the buildings being evacuated in Cambridge border Harvard Yard.
The school posted alerts on its emergency page and its Twitter account. They say that both school and city police are investigating, and the university will provide more information soon.
Harvard says in a statement that its university police department received the unconfirmed report that explosives may have been placed in the four buildings and they were evacuated out of an abundance of caution.
Final exams have begun at the Ivy League school.
Another emergency vehicle heading to Harvard from Cambridge st #WCVB pic.twitter.com/Zx3uWJBnhW
— Kelley Tuthill (@wcvbkelleyt) December 16, 2013
View more photos from the @Harvard investigation and evacuation: http://t.co/JXva8LHjIU http://t.co/QVNOblDtgL pic.twitter.com/6CYBYfXlKG
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) December 16, 2013
Firefighters in front of Sever Hall in Harvard Yard after unconfirmed reports of explosives forced its evacuation pic.twitter.com/3Cb28ReuDg
— The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) December 16, 2013
BREAKING - Live updates on #Harvard University unconfirmed reports of explosives http://t.co/GsJSN7sv5I #7news pic.twitter.com/ldYUq3lvdC
— 7News (@7News) December 16, 2013
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