Wednesday, October 24, 2001
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Wednesday, October 24, 2001 |
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Tests show no danger from PTC Post Office powder
From THE CITIZEN STAFF
Materials taken from the Peachtree City Post Office last week tested negative for anthrax, city officials confirmed. Peachtree City Fire Chief Stony Lohr reported Friday that the State Health Laboratory in Atlanta announced the determination concerning the parcels, which were reported Oct. 15 as containing a suspicious powderlike substance on the exterior. All parcels removed from the Post Office and tested or stored pending the test results have been returned to the Post Office for continued distribution. The initial discovery of the packages forced the evacuation of the Post Office, but Michael Miles, an area spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, said last week that there was no indication the powder was harmful in any way. In the past few days, there have been about a dozen reports of suspicious packages at area post offices, and "all have turned out to be false alarms," Miles said. The postal service is urging people to package their parcels carefully to prevent any possible spillage, Miles said. Packing guidelines and a list of materials which shouldn't be sent through the mail service are available at www.usps.com or through local post offices. Two postal employees who came into contact with the powder were decontaminated on-site by the local hazardous materials response team and taken to Fayette Community Hospital, where they were treated and released, Miles said. The contaminated area was limited to the post office with no outdoor release, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Nelms said a number of meetings in the past several weeks between local emergency agencies have focused on preparing for any possible bioterrorism attacks. Local agencies have been working closely with the Georgia Emergency Management Authority also, he said. Meanwhile, postal employees are being allowed to wear protective gloves and masks to protect their respiratory systems if they choose to, Miles added. Earlier reports that the powder came from a "care package" being sent to a college student were incorrect, Miles said. The source of the powder has not been identified, but authorities are focusing on a package being sent from a grandmother in Alabama to her grandson in Texas, Miles said. The woman told investigators that the box contained tissues and papers, he added. The post office was closed for several hours and reopened later in the day for normal business, Miles said. Monroe Roark and John Munford |