Sheriff’s officials say a suspicious package, which prompted road closures and a response from the bomb squad, was snow wrapped in aluminum near Crystal Lake Tuesday afternoon.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 1:05 p.m. Tuesday to the area of Walkup Road and Hillside Road in unincorporated Crystal Lake for a suspicious package call.
The Crystal Lake Police Department was first on the scene and reported an unknown object on the walking and biking trail near the intersection, according to police radio traffic.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department was requested to be on standby near the scene.
Police and deputies began shutting down the walking and biking path, as well as Walkup and Hillside Roads.
Sheriff’s officials said deputies were unable to identify the package.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Unit was requested to the scene to thoroughly evaluate whether the package was dangerous.
Nearby schools, including Prairie Ridge High School, which is north of the intersection, were notified.
The high school was placed on lockdown and a walkout protest set to take place was not able to be held due to the incident.
The sheriff’s office issued a community alert warning motorists to avoid Walkup Road from Vermont Trail to Indian Trail until further notice.
Hillside Road was also shut down from Flint Trail to west of Walkup Road. A police and fire command post was established.
The bomb squad arrived and began evaluating the package around 2:40 p.m., eventually deeming the object safe.
The sheriff’s office canceled the community alert around 3:30 p.m. after the roads were reopened.
Sheriff’s officials said Wednesday that the object was snow, which had been wrapped in some type of aluminum covering.
A local resident was testing how different materials can slow the thawing process.