The Massachusetts state police bomb squad responded to reports that a man in Salem had set off several homemade explosives in his home Saturday morning. When police arrived, they found the man dead of apparent self-inflicted wounds.

Neighbors of the man, 49-year-old George Sprague, reported that explosions were going off in his first-floor unit of a residential building while a person was still barricaded inside just before 8 a.m. Saturday. Sprague also reportedly detonated improvised explosives by throwing them out of the blown-out windows of his Meadow Street home.

For several hours throughout the morning, Sprague refused to leave his home and continued setting off the small bombs. Police were finally able to secure the house around 1:15 p.m.

Police said they found Sprague dead in the apartment from an apparent suicide. He was alone in the unit and no other injuries were reported.

Over the course of the standoff, two loud explosions erupted from the house at 11:45 a.m. Police warned in advance of these blasts that these were planned and that there was no danger to the public.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll shared on Twitter that although the situation was "nerve-racking," the scene was now under control.

"Meadow Street incident now under control. Police have secured the house," Driscoll tweeted at about 1:15 p.m. "Traffic should be restored shortly."

Authorities closed off streets surrounding the building for several hours following the standoff but were reopened late Saturday. At nearby Salem State University, officials said the incident had no impact on the campus and would not interfere with regular classes.

Neighbors is the area were shocked at this bizarre incident.

"Honestly I was scared I didn't know what it was," neighbor Fred Schambugh said to CBS Boston. "He was just like a hermit kind of guy, never seen him out of the house."