Suspicious package investigation closed MARTA stations in downtown Atlanta

Several MARTA stations were temporarily closed Monday morning after authorities blocked off an area of downtown Atlanta due to a suspicious package, authorities said.

Ellis and Peachtree streets were blocked for about an hour while Atlanta Fire Rescue responded to a MARTA police request after the suspicious package was found, agency spokeswoman Alyssa Richardson said. The closure caused rail service at the Five Points, Peachtree Center and Civic Center stations to be suspended, MARTA said in a tweet.

Atlanta fire units were given the clear by MARTA police sometime before 1 p.m. and both streets opened to regular traffic soon after.