SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — Two Southern Illinois courthouses have been cleared to reopen after they were both evacuated Wednesday morning following a bomb threat phoned in to a local 911 center.

Around 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday, the West Frankfort Police Department received a 911 call that threatened an “improvised explosive device on the second floor of the courthouse.”

Since the threat was non-specific, West Frankfort Police contacted both the Franklin and Williamson County courthouses.

Franklin County evacuated both the courthouse and the Campbell Building, and closed the Benton Public Square to traffic. They utilized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to clear the rooftops of buildings.

Williamson County evacuated the courthouse and closed nearby streets.

Residents were asked to avoid the area near both courthouses in Benton and Marion.