Hospital-Area Scare Called Hoax

A bomb scare in the city’s hospital district Tuesday morning was a hoax, police say.

A man had called police and said he was wired with explosives, police spokeswoman Carmen Best said.

When officers arrived at an apartment in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood and saw the man had something strapped to his body, they backed off and called in negotiators and a SWAT team.

Several blocks were cordoned off and the apartment building was evacuated on Broadway Avenue, a short distance south of Swedish Medical Center, Best said.

The man surrendered about 7 a.m., and police found a phony device in the building, Best said.