A 30-year-old Portsmouth, N.H., man was arrested Sunday morning after he placed a fake explosive device in the hallway of an apartment complex and barricaded himself in his unit, Portsmouth police said. Patrol Sergeant Kuffer Kaltenborn said that shortly after 1:30 a.m., police arrived at 21 Brewster St., where they found an unidentifiable device that was smoking and plugged into the wall. Authorities then evacuated the building and neighboring apartments. Officers determined that the device probably belonged to a resident, Nicholas Durling, Kaltenborn said. Durling refused to let officers into the apartment until they obtained a warrant. Police charged Durling with placement of a simulated explosive and reckless conduct. He was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Katherine Landergan can be reached at klandergan@globe.com.