Cilaire Elementary School in Nanaimo cleared after bomb threat

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WATCH: It was an unsettling day for students at a Nanaimo elementary school. A bomb threat was discovered on the outside wall of the school. It led to the school’s evacuation with most students heading home early for the day and RCMP are investigating the incident. Kendall Hanson reports.

Cilaire Elementary School has been cleared after being evacuated due to a bomb threat on Wednesday morning.

Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools district officials said graffiti indicating a bomb threat was found this morning at the school shortly after 8 a.m.

“This morning staff at Ciliare Elementary had found graffiti on the outside of the building,” said Dale Burgos, the district’s communications director. “It mentioned specific time and date and so right away RCMP were called to investigate.”

According to the district, as a precaution, students were evacuated to the Church of Nazarene at 2150 Departure Bay Rd. Parents could leave their child at the church or pick them up.

“I tend to get a little worked up,” said mother Heather Ferguson as she picked up her daughter. “It makes me worry, actually, panic a little bit.”

Nanaimo RCMP officers searched the interior and exterior of the school. The search was finished shortly after 11 a.m. Police said officers did not find anything of concern.

At around 11:40 a.m., the district said the school had been given the all-clear and the remaining students returned to the building. Police said the overwhelming majority of parents decided to pick their children up. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were approximately 12 students under staff supervision at the school.

The planned Christmas celebrations at the school were postponed until Thursday.

An RCMP cruiser sits outside Cilaire Elementary School following a bomb threat on Dec. 20.

An RCMP cruiser sits outside Cilaire Elementary School following a bomb threat on Dec. 20.

Alexa HuffmanAlexa Huffman

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