Two sex clubs evacuated on bomb threats; Seven homes also cleared

Update, 4:15 p.m., 25 November 2015: Police expanded the evacuation order at both locations. The details were added to the story below. Update, 5:35 p.m., 25 November 2015: Story updated with number of the number of people in the swingers' club, and the status of the on-site emergency situation. Two sex businesses in the northern province of Groningen were evacuated on Wednesday afternoon after bomb threats were made against the two locations. The first site, an erotic massage parlor, was evacuated by 2:55 p.m., and a swingers' club with as many as 25 people inside was cleared soon after. An explosives team and bomb-sniffing dogs were dispatched to both locations. Authorities eventually cancelled the Grip 1 call at about 5 p.m., but the investigation into the threats was ongoing. First responders at the erotic massage location ordered a Grip 1 emergency at the scene, according to police. Residents of four neighboring homes were ordered out, police said. Meanwhile four homes surrounding the swingers' club were also cleared by authorities. In addition to "between 20-25 people evacuated from the club" in Waterhuizen, six people were removed from the adjacent properties. Assistance was offered to those affected by the displacement. The massage parlor is located on Woldweg in Kropswolde, and the swingers club on Winschoterweg in Waterhuizen. The two establishments are less than nine kilometers apart, and lie just southeast of Groningen on the way to Hoogezand. The Grip 1 calls for the establishment of a coordinated chain of command among all responding agencies, and constant communication between the command officer and the mayor of the affected municipality, along with the regional police, fire and public health leadership.