McDonald’s restaurants in at least three towns, including Ahoskie and Murfreesboro, have reopened following a bomb threat late Wednesday afternoon.

Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh and Murfreesboro Police Chief Darrell Rowe told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald that the popular fast food chain locations in their respective towns are now back in operation.

A bomb-sniffing dog from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office was used at the Murfreesboro and Ahoskie restaurants. The dog failed to detect any type of explosive device at either location.

Both local restaurants abruptly closed at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

“We received a call regarding a bomb threat made to a (McDonald’s) franchise office in Elizabeth City that prompted a decision there to close down all the locations operating under that franchise owner,” said Rowe around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. “There was not a specific location targeted, so they decided for the element of safety for their workers and employees to shut them all down until each restaurant could be checked out.”

“We’re took precautionary measures here,” said Fitzhugh. “We were contacted by the manager of the Ahoskie McDonald’s in reference to this situation. She was contacted by her franchise owners from the regional office which I believe to be in ElizabethCity.”

In both local towns, police and fire department vehicles were used to establish a perimeter around their respective McDonald’s. No vehicles were allowed to approach those restaurants.

The Ahoskie McDonald’s is located in the Ahoskie Commons Shopping Center off Memorial Drive. The Murfreesboro McDonald’s is on North Main Street adjacent to Colonial Pharmacy.