Downtown Ozark was off limits for much of Thursday afternoon as authorities investigated a possible explosive device inside the Dale County Courthouse.

Authorities say it all began Thursday afternoon when Dale County deputies responded to a domestic violence call in Ariton.

Dale County Sheriff' Chief Deputy Tim McDonald said, "When they arrived in Ariton they walked into a meth lab."

Among that lab, investigators tell News 4 they found a cooler containing what may have been explosives used to make a bomb. It was taken to the Dale County Courthouse where law enforcement enlisted the help of area agencies.

"In taking a look at it they decided the best thing to do would be to call the Dothan bomb squad in and let them take a look at it. They felt like there might be some hazardous material involved in it," said McDonald.

A page received by Dothan police dispatch identified the liquid as muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid. A product used in heavy industrial and construction materials that can cause severe burns and blindness.

Authorities also discovered that the package contained numerous screws and nails.

Officials tried to disarm the suspicious container a second time by blowing it up. Late Thursday night, officials are properly disposing the remnants of the suspicious package.

No one was injured during the incident.

Authorities are searching for a man who lives at the home where the domestic call was placed. They believe he is somewhere in north Alabama.