NORWELL, Mass. (WHDH) -- Thirty smoke bombs addressed to a Norwell family exploded in a post office Friday.

Employees were going through the packages Friday morning when the room began to fill with smoke. One worker ran the box outside and called the bomb squad.

It was a tense scene outside the Norwell Post office as the bomb squad worked to disable smoke bombs sent through the mail.

“We received a call for an explosion in the building, we came down here found the item had been moved outside. There had been no injuries, building had been evacuated,” said Chief Andrew Reardon, Norwell Fire Department.

Police say the box addressed to a local family was packed full of 30 smoke bombs, and for some reason they started smoking inside the post office.

“It smelled just basically like that like some type of powder maybe,” said David Clapp, postal worker.

“The Norwell Fire and Police Department responded, the building was evacuated and the package was placed outside by postal workers,” Chief Ted Ross, Norwell Police Department.

Police say the edge of the box was singed and postal workers were able to quickly get the smoking box outside where the bomb squad worked to make sure the devices were safe, and stopped smoking.

Investigators then closely examined the smoke bombs which, according to the state fire marshal’s office, are not allowed to be shipped in the United States mail.

No one was hurt and the post office reopened. Police are investigating the out-of-state company that sent the smoke bombs. The state fire marshal said it is illegal to ship smoke bombs in the United States and it is illegal to possess them in Massachusetts.