Florida mall
The FBI says they are working with the Lake Wales Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office to investigate reports of explosions at a Lake Wales mall on Sunday night.

Initial reports claimed two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) went off at Eagle Ridge Mall on Sunday night.

The FBI says there is no indication of any explosion at the mall and no pipe bombs were found. Officials believe marine flares were ignited in the mall hallway and they created a large amount of smoke. A backpack was also located at the scene but bomb technicians say it did not contain any incendiary or explosive devices.

Upon further investigation, the FBI says there is no current indication of any terrorist connection to this incident.

Lake Wales fire crews responded to an alarm call at 451 Eagle Ridge Drive around 5:30 p.m. While en route, the call was changed to a structure fire.

When fire crews arrived at the location, they saw smoke coming from a corridor located next to the mall entrance of JC Penney.

The fire department says they located two pipe bomb type devices, later determined by the FBI to be marine flares, that ignited in the corridor of the building. They also located a backpack in the same corridor. Officials initially reported that the backpack contained possible improvised explosive devices in it, the FBI confirmed it did not have explosive devices inside.

No one was injured as a result of the explosion, but the ceiling and corridor wall did sustain damage.

At 5:30 p.m. on Sunday the Lake Wales Police Department responded to begin a criminal investigation.

The mall was evacuated. The Polk County Sheriff's Office, the State Fire Marshall, and the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad all responded to assist in the investigation.

Police are looking for a person of interest that is described as a middle-aged white male, heavy build, wearing a gray shirt and gray hat.

"I'm grateful for Florida's first responders and law enforcement who are working to keep everyone safe in Lake Wales tonight," Florida Governor Rick Scott said on Twitter late Sunday night following the incident.

On Monday, The Eagle Ridge Mall released a statement regarding the incident. The mall plans to open for regular mall business hours on Monday (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.). The mall describes the explosives as two signal flares that triggered a fire alarm in an unoccupied area of the mall.

Eagle Ridge Mall says "We are extremely grateful to the first responders and security personnel who acted so quickly to ensure the safety of our guests, tenants and employees. A law enforcement investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the incident, and Eagle Ridge Mall will assist investigators in any way possible."

The mall also says "Initial reports of pipe bombs, IEDs, explosions or detonations of any kind at Eagle Ridge Mall were incorrect, as were reports that any additional dangerous materials were found during a thorough law enforcement search of mall property."

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Lake Wales Police Detective Whitney Dukes at (863)678-4223 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at (800) 226-8477.