CHESTER – It turned out to be a non-working replica of a bomb, but when firefighters found it while fighting a house fire, they evacuated and called the State Police Bomb Squad.

It turns out the device found at the 143 Bull Mill Road, Town of Chester location at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, was a fake.

The Chester Fire Department had been called to a report of a house filled with smoke. They were able to contain it to a small area of the house, but several large holes were burned in the floor between the first floor and the basement area.

The remainder of the house suffered smoke damage.

The replica bomb was found during the investigation into the cause of the fire. That was halted and the scene evacuated.

The residents of the home were displaced and spent the night with family.