Science experiment bottles cause of bomb scare

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have destroyed two glass bottles which caused a momentary scare near Aquaria, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The bottles had been given as souvenirs to a group of students visiting the Petrosains, the popular science discovery centre in the nearby Suria KLCC.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the souvenirs were then converted into “experimental lamps” by the students and left outside the convention centre.

“The bottles did not contain explosive material but were experimental lamps left by the students from a school in Bukit Beruntung,” he said in a series of tweets late on Wednesday.

CCTV footage of the multi-purpose hall, said Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zainol Samah, showed that there was no criminal element involved in the incident.

“Several female students from the SMK Sungai Buaya were spotted in the area. These students have previously visited the Petrosains for a science experiment involving bottles,” he said.

The bottles, he said, were discovered by a cleaner at about 5.15pm who then alerted a security guard.

The security guard then called in the authorities.

The building security, he said, brought the bottles outside of the building near the main entrance.

“The area was cordoned off at around 6pm. A bomb squad arrived at the scene 35 minutes later while the canine unit came some several minutes after that. 

Five fire trucks were also deployed to the scene,” he said.

The area immediately surrounding KLCC was cleared.

City police chief Comm Datuk Tajudin Md Isa said the suspected explosive was destroyed by a bomb squad team later.

At the time of the incident, American singer Richard Marx was performing at the plenary hall of the convention centre, a few hundred metres away from where the device was found. 

The convention centre is near KLCC, a popular shopping and tourist spot. Petrosains, a science discovery centre, is also close by.