MANHATTAN — Authorities briefly shut down the Port Authority Bus Terminal Thursday evening after a suspicious package was discovered, but it was ultimately found to be harmless, officials said.
A New Jersey Transit worker spotted someone placing a leather bag behind a wall panel on the upper level of the busy transit hub at Eighth Avenue and 42nd Street about 7:50 p.m., and notified officials, the Port Authority said.
After a bomb-sniffing dog indicated that the bag was suspicious, the terminal's south wing was evacuated and buses stopped running, the Port Authority said.
The NYPD's Bomb Squad rushed to the terminal to investigate and found that the bag contained only a comforter and possibly some clothing, officials said.
The terminal was deemed safe and reopened about 9:15 p.m.
Hundreds of frustrated commuters crowded around the outside of the terminal during the closure.
"Still can't believe I was evacuated from port authority," tweeted @AliciaAnn12. "We live in a crazy world right now."
