Homes have been evacuated while a bomb squad examines "several suspicious items" found by police after a row between neighbours.
Police were called to a house in Brentwood, Essex, over a dispute between residents in which a door had been damaged.
A man and a woman were arrested at the scene in Sawyers Grove at around 7.30am on Friday and are still being held in custody for questioning, Essex Police said.
When officers arrived, they forced their way into a property and found "a number of small items", the force added.
Police said officers were "continuing to work" to ensure the safety of residents following the discovery of several suspicious items.
A 100-meter cordon was put up around the site and some 40 homes in three nearby streets were evacuated as a precaution.
A spokesperson for the force added: "Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts were called to the scene and are examining the items to establish what they are.
"Around 40 properties are affected, with occupants evacuated as a precaution."
The area cordoned off includes "much of Sawyers Grove and small parts of Sawyers Hall Lane and Highland Avenue", police said.
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"Residents whose properties are within the exclusion zone can go to a rendezvous point at King George's Playing Fields Pavilion while the cordon remains in place.
"We appreciate the disruption this is causing and thank residents for their patience. We'll continue to provide updates and hope to have the cordon lifted as soon as possible," the force added.
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