Sunday was a rotten night for Garwood Police – a suspicious, foul-smelling duffel bag that brought out the Union County Bomb Squad turned out to be full of only rancid meats. 

According to Garwood Police, the department received a call around 10:30 p.m. from an employee at the McDonald's on North Avenue who reported the pungent bag in the restaurant's parking lot.

Garwood Police, Fire and EMS responded to the scene and the Union County Bomb Squad, Hazmat Team and Police were later called in.

"You could smell it from 50 feet away," said Sgt. Mario Morelli. "That's how bad it was. We were gagging."

According to Morelli, the UC Bomb Squad x-rayed the bag and determined it was not an explosive. The UC Hazmat Team then opened the bag and found rotten meats, including a chicken and a roast.

Police evacuated the McDonald's and closed off North Avenue from Oak Street to Cedar Street until they cleared the scene at around 11:30 p.m.

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