Campus Alert Archive
Dartmouth

Potluck Pressure Cooker Left in Parking Lot Triggers State Bomb Squad Response at Dartmouth

NHsuspicious packageemergency notificationmedium confidence
UnfoundedNo evidence of an actual threat was found. The institutional response is documented because the alert communication is identical to what would occur during a real incident.

On September 1, 2023, at approximately 3:30 PM EDT, Hanover Police received a report of a suspicious object resembling a closed pressure cooker in the parking lot at 37 Dewey Field Road on Dartmouth's campus. A DartAlert was sent at approximately 4:00 PM and nearby buildings were evacuated. The NH State Police Explosives Disposal Unit x-rayed the object at 5:15 PM and determined it contained food from a recent potluck.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Dartmouth College
Private R1 · NH
~7,000 studentsDartAlert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTmulti-channel
Approximate reconstruction197 chars
DartAlert: A suspicious object has been found in the parking lot at 37 Dewey Field Road. The area is being evacuated. Avoid Dewey Field Road. Emergency responders are on scene. Updates will follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The DartAlert was sent at approximately 4:00 PM EDT, about 30 minutes after the initial report at 3:30 PM
The object was described as resembling 'a closed pressure/rice cooker' — a description that carries particular weight given the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing
The incident occurred during Dartmouth's First-Year Trips, when new students were acclimating to campus
ALL CLEARmulti-channel
Approximate reconstruction179 chars
DartAlert: The emergency situation has been resolved by professional responders. The suspicious object has been cleared. Normal activities may resume in the Dewey Field Road area.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The all-clear was issued at 5:45 PM EDT, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes after the initial DartAlert
The NH State Police Explosives Disposal Unit x-rayed the pressure cooker and determined it contained food from a potluck
The building at 37 Dewey Field Road houses Dartmouth's Master of Health Care Delivery Science program
Context

Background

On September 1, 2023, a suspicious object was found in the parking lot at 37 Dewey Field Road on Dartmouth College's campus. Campus Safety and Security reported the object to Hanover Police at approximately 3:30 PM EDT, describing it as resembling a closed pressure or rice cooker. A DartAlert was sent and nearby buildings were evacuated. The Valley News reported that the NH State Police Explosives Disposal Unit traveled from Concord and arrived at approximately 5:15 PM. After x-raying the object, the bomb squad determined it contained food — left behind after a potluck event at the building, which houses Dartmouth's Master of Health Care Delivery Science program. The all-clear was issued at 5:45 PM. The incident occurred during Dartmouth's First-Year Trips, a beloved orientation tradition. While the resolution was benign, the response illustrated how post-Boston Marathon bombing awareness of pressure cookers as potential explosive devices shapes campus emergency responses.
Analysis

Key Findings

A pressure cooker containing food prompted a nearly two-hour emergency response including the NH State Police bomb squad — illustrating post-Boston Marathon bombing vigilance
The incident occurred during Dartmouth's First-Year Trips orientation period, when new students were learning about campus safety
The response demonstrates how even benign objects can trigger significant emergency protocols on college campuses
Outcome
The pressure cooker was determined to contain food, left behind after a potluck event at the building housing Dartmouth's Master of Health Care Delivery Science program. DartAlert all-clear issued at 5:45 PM.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Emergency situation resolved after suspicious object found (The Dartmouth)
    thedartmouth.com
  2. News
    Pressure cooker in Dartmouth parking lot causes bomb scare (Valley News)
    vnews.com
Tags
suspicious-packagepressure-cookerbomb-scarenew-hampshireivy-leaguebomb-squadfalse-alarmpotluckUnfounded
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion