Washington, D.C. bomb squad clears suspicious device found near fire station

A suspicious package left near the Tenleytown fire station in Washington, D.C., triggered a large emergency response on Wednesday morning. The device, which featured exposed wires and was initially mistaken for a thermos, led the Washington Metropolitan Police Department's bomb squad and K-9 unit to shut down Wisconsin Avenue NW for nearly two hours.

Authorities later identified the object as an ‘electronic sex portable pump device.’ The area has since been cleared and reopened to traffic.

While this specific incident was a false alarm, officials noted a rise in security concerns in the capital. Secret Service Director Sean Curran recently stated that threat levels are ‘off the charts,’ noting that approximately 10,000 threats have been made against government officials and Supreme Court justices so far in 2026.