Updated 10/7/2011 2:13 p.m.
CTA Blue Line trains, which were halted because of a suspicious package found at the Forest Park station this morning, are now running again.
The unidentified package was spotted around 9:30 a.m. at the Forest Park station, 711 Desplaines Ave., and shut down service between the Blue Line’s Harlem and Forest Park stops until about 10:45 a.m., according to Forest Park police.
While the Forest Park station was closed down, Chicago and Forest Park police investigated the package along with the Cook County Sheriff’s bomb squad.
But Aftanas said the package wasn’t a bomb.
“It was a false alarm,” Aftanas said.
Forest Park Review photo editor Jason Geil, who was on the scene, said a Chicago police officer told him computer parts were found in the package. Aftanas said the box resembled a “tackle box.”
The bomb squad used a water-based solution to detonate the package in case it was a bomb, Aftanas said.
“Essentially, our technician puts on our bomb suit, goes over to the device … Then he attaches or places the device on or near the suspicious package,” said Frank Bilecki, communications director for the Cook County Sheriff, as he described the detonation process. “The force of the water tears it [package] open.”
Aftanas said that the department does not think any criminal activity took place, and is only trying to figure out who the package belonged to.
“Someone accidentally left it on the train. Other than that there is nothing,” he said.
