Discovery of possible pipe bomb near Beaumont Medical Center leads to evacuations, road closures

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso police and Fort Bliss military police shut down roads near William Beaumont Army Medical Center for several hours Friday after a possible explosive device was discovered.

A passer-by reported finding what looked like a pipe bomb about 11:45 a.m.

Two nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution, but the hospital was not impacted.

Traffic along Alabama and Fred Wilson in northeast El Paso was diverted as bomb squad technicians and dogs examined the device.

Fort Bliss officials said the scene was cleared about 3 p.m., but did not indicate what the object turned out to be.