Police Evacuate Brewster Street After Explosive Found

UPDATED, 10:53 a.m.: Residents who live in 30 apartments at 21 Brewster St. were able to return to their homes at 9 a.m. on Sunday after Portsmouth Police and the NH State Police Bomb Squad cleared the scene.

During their subsequent search of the apartment building and the surrounding neighborhood, police did not find any explosive devices or any other simulated explosive devices similar to the one made by Nicholas Durling, 30, of 21 Brewster St., who was charged with a felony of making a simulated explosive device and reckless conduct early Sunday morning.

The simulated device that police found at 1:30 a.m. was inside the hallway of the apartment building and was smoking, according to Portsmouth Police Capt. Corey MacDonald. It was later determined that it did not contain any explosives, but the device and comments made by Durling to police from inside his apartment were enough to make police evacuate the building and immediate neighborhood while the NH State Police Bomb Squad and members of the Seacoast Emergency Response Team secured the area.

One Brewster Street resident who did not want to be identified said the SWAT team members surrounded the apartment building with guns drawn early Sunday morning. She said she was unable to return to her apartment for nearly seven hours.

Earlier story: Police arrested a Portsmouth man early Sunday morning after they found what appeared to be an explosive device inside an apartment building and evacuated a large portion of the Brewster Street and Islington Street neighborhood.

Nicholas Durling, 30, of 21 Brewster St. in Portsmouth was charged with a felony of placement of a simulated explosive and reckless conduct at 6 a.m. on Sunday, according to Portsmouth Police Capt. Corey MacDonald. Durling was also taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The Seacoast Emergency Response Team and the NH State Police Bomb Squad were called to the scene after Portsmouth Police found a device in the hallway of the apartment building that was smoking around 1:30 a.m., according to MacDonald. The neighborhood was evacuated by Portsmouth Police and Portsmouth Firefighters at 2:30 a.m., according to MacDonald.

Police determined the device didn't contain any explosives and they identified Durling as the person responsible for making the device. When police attempted to talk to him through his apartment door, MacDonald said Durling made some statements that forced police to evacuate the apartment building.

As of 8 a.m. on Sunday, residents of the Brewster Street apartment building and neighboring buildings that extended onto Islington Street remain evacuated.

Portsmouth Police detectives and NH State Bomb Squad troopers are continuing to execute a search warrant of Durling's apartment and the building to see if there are any other explosive devices. So far, police have not located any other devices.

Anyone with information regarding Mr. Durling or this case is asked to call Ofc. Brian Houde at 610-7601, or Det. Aaron Goodwin at (603)610-7627, or Crime Stoppers.  Those individuals who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 431-1199 or 207-439-1199. You may also make a report through the Crime Stoppers Website: www.seacoastcrimestoppers.org.