WARREN — Police converged on a short portion of Main Street in Warren Monday morning, after a possible and suspected incendiary device was discovered in a mailbox across the street from the Warren Public Library.

Main Street in Warren was closed, between the north side of the bridge up to the post office. A Maine State Police bomb squad was enroute and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Warren Fire Department were on scene around 10 a.m., along with the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office and an investigator with the U.S. Postal Service.

The road has now been opened, after police learned that the paper towel tube inside the mailbox contained a rolled-up Flag Day flag, placed inside the mailbox by two 8-year-old boys.

According to police, the homeowner came out around 8:30 a.m. and opened their mailbox and saw what looked inside to be an incendiary device. The paper tube-like device, with a suspected fuse attached, was discovered at 267 Main St. The homeowner took a photo of the device, closed the mailbox and sent the photo to police.

Neighbors were warned to get out, but had not been ordered to evacuate, according to officials on scene. There was a serious air of caution, due to the potential threat if the device turned out to be a bomb.

“I don’t think they intended to scare anyone at all,” said Knox County Sheriff’s Detective Dwight Burtis. “It was kids playing around, putting it into one of their mailboxes and we’re not going to investigate it further.”

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655. Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com or 706-6657.