Roanoke Walmart evacuated, cleared after bomb threat

The Walmart store in Roanoke was evacuated and cleared Monday afternoon after a bomb threat, according to the Roanoke Fire Department.

Douglas Parks, Roanoke deputy fire chief and fire marshal, said the store received a short phone call around 12:20 p.m. Monday saying there was a bomb in the building, located at 1228 North Hwy 377. The store was evacuated and Roanoke firefighters arrived and searched the whole building.

First responders didn’t find anything suspicious, Parks said, and everyone was allowed back inside at 1:50 p.m. Authorities believe the phone call was a hoax.