Suspicious Pot Prompts Downtown Fort Dodge Closure

Authorities asked the public to avoid a section of downtown Fort Dodge for several hours Tuesday morning after a suspicious pot was discovered along a curb.

Police took precautionary measures, treating the object-described as an “Instant Pot type appliance”-as perhaps explosive or perilous.

The owner of the pot was later located, and it was determined the item posed no threat.

The pot was initially spotted at 6:52 a.m. on the south curb in the 800 block of First Avenue North.

By approximately 10 a.m., the owner had been identified, and the area was declared safe.

The Fort Dodge Fire Department,Public Works Department,Webster County Sheriff’s Office,Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office,and the state Division of Narcotics Enforcement all assisted at the scene.