Man Arrested After False Fire Alarm At Steelers' Hotel In East Boston
EAST BOSTON (CBS) -- An East Boston man was arrested after State Police said he pulled a fire alarm at the hotel where the Pittsburgh Steelers are staying.
Dennis Harrison, 25 of East Boston, was charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and setting off a false fire alarm.
The Boston Fire Department said the alarm was pulled around 3:05 a.m. at the Logan Airport Hilton.
People were evacuated to the building's lobby, but were allowed back to their rooms just before 4 a.m. after fire officials determined it was a false alarm.
State Police arrested Harrison, who they said pulled the alarm, after they found him walking on the building's property. They said he was not a guest at the hotel and had no legitimate reason for being there.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were staying at the hotel ahead of their AFC Championship game against the Patriots Sunday night.
A Steelers fan staying at the hotel had one thing on his mind.
"I thought it was 'Alarmgate,' a ploy by the Patriots. You never know," Joe Reif said.
"Oh man, couldn't you have picked a better time than this? But I'm glad they caught the guy," Reif added.
Other Steelers fans said the alarm won't adversely affect the team Sunday night.
A Patriots fan felt badly about the prank.
"Well, you know what, it's unfair that that stuff happens. But it happened to the Pats before. I think it's crazy in this time, the way the world is, to create panic and all that. So I think it was a dumb thing," Ray Leveille said.
Harrison is being held at the Massachusetts State Police East Boston barracks pending bail.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports
