E-Mailed Bomb Threat Evacuates Dedham Building

A lithium battery manufacturer's Dedham, Hopkinton and Westborough facilities were evacuated Monday due to a bomb threat e-mailed to the firm's headquarters.

State police and A123 Systems' information technology department "determined that the e-mail was sent by a man who was known to make prank bomb threats," according to the incident report.

notified the fire department of the incident at 155 Flanders Road at 10:21 a.m. Monday, the report says.

A123 Systems has its Energy Solutions Group at the Westborough site, according to the firm's website. A123 Systems "develops and manufactures advanced Nanophosphate lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems that deliver high power and energy density, long life, and excellent safety performance," the site notes.

The Westborough facility's building manager reported that A123 Systems' corporate headquarters, in Waltham, received an e-mail stating that "a bomb had been placed in one" of the company's five buildings, the incident report says.

Firefighters found the Westborough building evacuated. A state police bomb squad technician and dog searched the common areas, and shipping and receiving areas of each of the Massachusetts buildings, the report says. In Westborough, a FedEx trailer was checked as well.

Westborough firefighters, led by their incident commander, Capt. Joseph Lawrence, left the scene at 12:30 p.m.