US port evacuated after bomb alert

Authorities evacuated a terminal in the port of Seattle tonight after bomb-sniffing dogs alerted handlers to a container.

Dozens of personnel were evacuated from Terminal 18, on Harbour Island south of the city, a port spokesman said.

A bomb squad was set to examine the container and determine its contents. A half-mile cordon was put up around the terminal.

The container was taken off the ship because of paperwork irregularities, port spokesman David Schaefer said.

“The bomb-sniffing dogs did what bomb-sniffing dogs do, and it caused us to be worried there might be explosives,” Schaefer said.

Coastguard Petty Officer Mike Zolzer said the container was supposed to contain oily rags, but authorities apparently found items that did not match that description.

Zolzer said he did not know where the ship originated.