Suspicious powder found in State Department annex
From Elise Labott
CNN Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A suspicious white powder was found in a State Department building Thursday, prompting the Washington, D.C. fire department and hazardous materials team to open an investigation.
"Appropriate measures to ensure the safety of personnel have been taken. The air handling machines are turned off and the matter is under investigation at this moment," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
Another State Department official said the powder was found in a package sent to the Visa Authentication Unit, and that preliminary testing conducted on the substance by the FBI was negative for dangerous materials.
D.C. Fire Department spokesman Alan Etter confirmed the incident, but suggested officials are acting out of caution, not due to any belief this event is malicious in nature.
Etter said a test that detects toxic material like ricin came back negative. Protein was detected, which could signify the presence of anthrax, but could just as well mean the presence of a completely benign substance, he said.
Earlier this month, Senate office buildings were closed after ricin was found on an automatic mail sorter in the personal mailroom of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
In November, a letter containing ricin was intercepted en route to the White House. In October, the toxin was found in a letter at a postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
The office in the State Department annex, across from the department's headquarters, will be sealed until final tests are complete.
The employee who opened the package received medical attention, but the building was not evacuated.
