The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating after a device is found underneath a car in Tellico Plains.

Investigators with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office went to a home in the 400 block of Shadden Road yesterday (Sunday) afternoon and found a device underneath a car on the property, the Knox County Bomb Squad in addition to fire and EMS crews were called to the scene.

An evacuation of a 100 yard area around the device, impacting two homes, was in place while crews took four hours to dismantled the device.

This, after authorities received a call of a suspicious fire in the garage of this home last week. MCSO says it is possible the suspicious fire could be connected to the device found, but that has not been determined at this time.