Harvard Buildings Evacuated After Reports of Explosives

Some exams cancelled

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Updated: 2:51 p.m.

Four buildings at Harvard University were evacuated and some final exams were cancelled Monday morning following reports of a bomb threat on campus. But there were no reports of actual explosive devices found, and the university had given the all clear for activity in the buildings to resume by mid-afternoon.

“Unconfirmed reports of explosives at four sites on campus,” the university wrote in an emergency text message alert. “Please evacuate those buildings now.”

The university said in a statement that it closed the buildings “out of an abundance of caution.”

“Harvard’s focus is on the safety of our students, faculty and staff,” the school said.

The university said that campus police and Cambridge police were on the scene, and TV reports showed images of FBI and ATF also descending on the Cambridge campus. President Barack Obama was briefed on the situation, NBC News reports.

Harvard police received unconfirmed reports of explosives in three major academic buildings and one dorm located in the heart of campus. Speculation was rampant that someone had made a threat to delay final exams.

“It is very suspicious that… it would be all the exam buildings,” said sophomore Mark Levin, 20. “I think the only people who have really been affected are the people who are in those buildings.”

There were reportedly cheers when the undergraduate dean announced that morning exams in the affected buildings had been cancelled: