ALERT 3 Sick, More Than 2 Dozen Quarantined After Envelope Opened Sent to US Customs Office

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
There's been crickets on the national MSM on this....Anyone else work at companies that used to use glove boxes for the mail and stopped doing it?....

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...ee-Opens-Package-and-Falls-Ill-370023531.html

3 Sick, More Than 2 Dozen Quarantined After Employee Opens Envelope Sent to US Customs Office in Alameda

Police were asking people to avoid the area due to a "hazardous material incident"

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday, 2:39 PM PST Feb. 24, 2016
View Comments (2)

Between 20 to 50 people were quarantined after an envelope with a suspicious powdery substance was opened inside a Bay Area United States Customs office Wednesday, fire officials said.

Emergency crews responded to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Office located at 2430 Mariner Square Loop in Alameda, California after three people fell ill, according to the Alameda Fire Department.

Alameda fire officials were called out to the office at 2:43 p.m. after an employee opened an envelope and came in contact with a powdery substance, Juan Medrano with Alameda Fire said. The employee started feeling nauseous and dizzy shortly thereafter. Fire officials established a "hot zone" in the area. After their arrival, two more people fell sick. None of the symptoms are considered life threatening, fire officials said.

Police were asking people to avoid the area due to the "hazardous material incident." Hazmat officials were also on the scene trying to determine the nature of the substance.

The employees who fell ill were being treated within the quarantined area, officials said.

All three employees were feeling better later in the afternoon, officials said.

The envelope was sent to a lab for further testing.
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.newsy.com/videos/california-office-quarantined-after-mystery-powder-found-in-envelope/

California Office Quarantined After Mystery Powder Found In Envelope

An office in Alameda, California, was quarantined after an employee fell ill after opening an envelope with a powdery substance inside.


By Grant Suneson | February 24, 2016

At least 20 people in Alameda, California, were quarantined after an office worker fell ill after opening an envelope containing a powdery substance.

On Wednesday afternoon, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol employee reportedly felt dizzy and nauseous after she opened mail with a white powder inside. Fire officials were called to the scene; two more employees then reportedly started feeling sick as well.

Hazmat crews set up a quarantine and are investigating what the powder might be. It’s still unknown if the illnesses were a direct result of the envelope's contents.

None of the illnesses appeared to be life threatening, and officials said the three employees who got sick were feeling better later in the afternoon.

This video includes clips from KGO-TV, KNTV and KTVU.
 

vestige

Deceased
8531.jpg
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_29558180/alameda-two-sick-after-substance-found-at-u

Three sick after substance found at East Bay U.S. Customs and Border Protection office

By Peter Hegarty
phegarty@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 02/25/2016 05:15:26 AM PST | Updated: 10 min. ago

ALAMEDA -- An employee at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection office complained of feeling ill after she opened an envelope that contained a powdery substance Wednesday afternoon, prompting emergency crews to evacuate other employees and recommend people avoid the area.

The 52-year-old woman was transported to a hospital after she told firefighters she felt dizzy and nauseous, as well as some eye irritation, Alameda Deputy Fire Chief Rick Zombeck said.

Two others who work in the office in the 2400 block of Mariner Square Loop were evaluated at the scene after they also said they felt ill, Zombeck said.

The incident was reported at 12:43 p.m. and led first responders to evacuate about two dozen employees and others who work in the building complex near the Oakland Estuary.

Police were recommending people avoid the area as crews investigated the substance. It was declared clear about 4:20 p.m.

The illnesses of the three employees are not considered life-threatening, Alameda Firefighter Juan Medrano said.

The woman transported to hospital said she noticed what appeared to be white powder fall from the envelope when she opened it sometime after noon, Zombeck said.

She continued to work opening mail and filing paperwork, however, and when crews arrived after she reported feeling ill, they could not immediately locate the envelope or find any traces of the possible substance, he said.

A hazardous materials team from the Alameda County Fire Department was called in to help with the investigation.

Reach Peter Hegarty at 510-748-1654 or follow him on Twitter.com/Peter_Hegarty.
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment

Yeah. I had direct involvement with the post 9/11 "up tick" in this crap as a member of a corporate security team before I got into the Hazmat side of things. I was "perturbed" at literally being left holding the bag then, and after my HAZWOPER course a few years later all the more so...
 

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Some of the former .mil NBC types might confirm, I was under the impression that they had instant tests for most agents?

If they aren't talking....there is a problem.

Maybe waiting for lab confirmation, or PR direction from DC?
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Some of the former .mil NBC types might confirm, I was under the impression that they had instant tests for most agents?

If they aren't talking....there is a problem.

Maybe waiting for lab confirmation, or PR direction from DC?

Yes there are test strips for specific agents as well as material classifications and hand held electronic sensors. For example....

https://www.grainger.com/product/SPILFYTER-Chemical-Classifier-Tube-Kit-3CNV8

http://www.homelandassociates.com/products/hazmat.htm

What's got this all fully FUBAR is they couldn't find the specific envelope and she didn't immediately key on the fact that there was powder in it.

My guess is that whatever it might me was most likely chemical and not biological; an irritant/blister agent. Stuff bad enough if you get it on your skin, but on mucus membranes or inhaled real bad.
 

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
What's got this all fully FUBAR is they couldn't find the specific envelope and she didn't immediately key on the fact that there was powder in it.

That sheds a different light on things.
 
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