Suspicious Package Outside Tenleytown Firehouse Turns Out to Be Adult Sex Toy

Around 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, a bystander reported that someone placed a blue-and-black electronic device with exposed wires in a trash can behind the Washington, D.C., Fire and EMS Engine 20 station in Tenleytown. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, the bomb squad, and a K-9 unit responded, shutting down Wisconsin Avenue NW between 40th Street and Warren Street for nearly two hours. After examination, investigators classified the item as an “electronic sex portable pump device” and determined it posed no threat, allowing traffic to resume.

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MPD officials described the object initially as a “thermos” before the bomb squad identified it as a sex-toy-type device. The bomb squad and K-9 unit cleared the item on site and declared it non-hazardous. Fire and EMS personnel coordinated with police throughout the response. Secret Service Director Sean Curran, speaking separately about overall security, noted that threat levels facing the agency are “off the charts,” citing a recent surge in threats against government officials and Supreme Court justices.

The Independent

While this incident was a false alarm, it occurred amid heightened security concerns in the capital. Earlier in the year, a bomb threat forced a temporary shutdown of flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Guardian also recalled a 2022 incident in Oklahoma where adult items spilled from a overturned semi-truck, illustrating that unconventional objects can occasionally disrupt traffic.

The Independent

• The device matches a product marketed by Zolo as a “Blowbot,” featuring adjustable suction levels and a drying function; the company lists a retail price of more than $300.

The Guardian

• Secret Service Director Curran reported roughly 10,000 threats against officials and justices in 2026, a 40 percent increase over the same period in 2025.

The Independent

The rapid deployment of emergency resources highlighted the city’s protocol for potential explosive threats, even when the object proves benign. Social-media users identified the toy, prompting light-hearted commentary but also underscoring the challenges first responders face in distinguishing genuine hazards from harmless items. No injuries were reported, and the incident concluded without further disruption.

The Guardian