Small Explosive Devices Found in Home Near South Plainfield Labor Day Parade Route: Sources

New Jersey’s largest Labor Day parade was canceled Monday after a cooler of fireworks left at a Sunday concert led police to find “multiple small explosive devices” on a property near the parade route, senior law-enforcement officials tell NBC 4.

The South Plainfield Labor Day parade and fireworks display was canceled Monday morning due to a “security concern,” the borough announced on Facebook. Governor Phil Murphy was supposed to be marching in the parade.

Senior law-enforcement officials told NBC 4 that a suspicious package had been found by cleaners after a Guns 4 Hire concert at Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright Sunday night.

A man had brought a cooler of fireworks to the concert and then left the cooler near the venue, a senior New Jersey State Police official said. When questioned, the man said he brought a cooler of fireworks to the concert hoping they would be set off at the end. When they would not allow it, the cooler was left at the concert site, prompting an investigation that led the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office to find more fireworks at the man’s home.

There was no indication any of the devices were planted, however the man’s home was close to the parade route, so officials decided to cancel the parade as a precaution.

A senior law-enforcement official told NBC 4 police had arrest Thomas G. Kaiser, 55. Gaiser had earlier been seen trying to deliver a homemade device to a band member at the concert. The device was removed and determined to be a large m-80 firework.

At Kaiser’s home — where he was said to be living with his parents — the New Jersey State Police Bomb Unit assisted police in dismantling devices. Officials said police were previously aware of Kaiser, who was known to have some mental issues.

The 62nd Annual South Plainfield Labor Day Parade was set to kick off at 10 a.m. Monday. The event was billed as New Jersey’s oldest and largest Labor Day parade.