Bomb Scare At Bayside LIRR Station

In a sobering sign of the times, a suspicious unattended package left on the Bayside platform forced the evacuation of the LIRR train from Port Washington to Penn Station on Monday afternoon. A commuter observed the suspicious package and alerted authorities, who responded immediately. The train was quickly evacuated and the Bayside station was also roped off.
The NYPD bomb squad arrived within minutes of the alert and immediately secured the area. After an investigation the package was determined to be a false alarm.
Commuters waited more than an hour on Bell Boulevard as the station was made safe. Said one wary passenger: "We were escorted off the train in a very efficient and professional manner. Of course weve been delayed for over an hour, and were late for our meetings and connections, but its better not to take risks when it comes to potential terrorist attacks."
When contacted by The Queens Courier, the Public Affairs department at LIRR had no comment on the matter.
E-mail reporter Cahir ODoherty at cahir@queenscourier.com.