Reports of a suspicious package cause brief evacuation in Germantown

Reports of a suspicious package near Germantown Avenue and Haines Street forced a temporary evacuation Tuesday morning as the Philadelphia Police bomb squad responded to the scene. They were called to a former Social Security office which is now up for lease.

Shortly after police arrived around 9:30 a.m., with a helicopter flying overhead, investigators determined the package was not a threat and called off the evacuation, according to a department spokeswoman.

Buses were temporarily detoured and Germantown High School, which is located across the street, was put on lockdown. That order was lifted around 10:15 a.m., according to the main office there.