Suspected Firecrackers In Street In Fair Lawn, N.J. Turn Out To Be Candles, Police Say

FAIR LAWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The bomb squad was called in Fair Lawn, New Jersey Saturday morning, after what were believed to be firecrackers – but turned out to be candles – were found in the middle of several local intersections.

Police said at 7:40 a.m., a resident who lives on 27th Street in Fair Lawn was walking home from a business on Banta Place and found the suspicious packages on Rosalie Street. The packages appeared to be strategically placed at the center of intersections on Rosalie Street between the two streets and beyond, police said.

Fair Lawn police officers found the plastic shopping bags of different colors were placed from Banta Place all the way to 34th Street, police said.

In each bag was one clear glass baby food jar with a single black item inside that officers believe was an M-80 firecracker, police said.

"They shut down the street and the surrounding cross streets as well," said Fair Lawn police Sgt. Brian Metzler.

Rosalie Street was closed off, along with every cross-street from Broadway to Raphael Street, police said.

Residents were asked to stay in their homes until the packages could be deemed safe, police said.

Officers later determined that the items in the jars were not M-80 firecrackers, but black candles, Metzler told 1010 WINS.

"The investigation is still continuing – if we can find who put them out there," Metzler said. "One of the things I had heard was that this is possibly like some sort of ritual to put a curse on somebody."

The streets were all reopened by 11 a.m., police said.