British Columbia Hazardous Mail Event

Hazardous mail
Prince George Citizen - Prince George,British Columbia,Canada
Written by FRANK PEEBLES
Citizen staff
Wednesday, 17 September 2008

Decontamination team scrubs down workers after suspicious package arrives at Barton Insurance Staff at Barton Insurance had to be washed by the fire department's hazardous materials team Wednesday after receiving a suspicious package at the drive-thru outlet on 20th Avenue and Victoria Street.
"It was delivered in the mail ... it was not dropped off independently," said RCMP spokesperson Const. Lesley Smith
A swarm of police vehicles, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles were on the scene around 1:30 p.m. A bright yellow tent was set up as a decontamination centre near the back door of the insurance store.
"The material inside the package was suspicious," Smith said. "Those who first opened the package found its contents to be alarming. The city's HAZMAT team was called as a precaution, those inside the building at the time were held for decontamination."
The hazardous materials team (HAZMAT) is trained in the handling of chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear and explosive materials in publicly hazardous places.
The actual contents of the package will be analyzed and should it prove to be a harmful substance that was deliberately sent, investigators will pursue those responsible. Its origins may have to be traced even if it is not poison.
It was not disclosed what the material looked like or was believed to be. There were eight people who had to be decontaminated.
Each one took a turn being washed down, fully clothed, on a specially designed outdoor shower system, then they went into the tent where they disrobed and were clothed in a plastic oversheet. No one involved showed any obvious signs of medical distress and authorities said there were no confirmed injuries in the incident.