DHS shut down
White powder sent to high school


Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 4:29 PM MDT


Emergency service agencies throughout the area responded to an incident at Douglas High School, and later, Southeast Arizona Medical Center when an unknown powder was received by a worker Monday afternoon.


Bruce Whetten/Douglas Dispatch HazMat workers from Cochise County prepare to enter the Douglas High School main office Monday night. A white powder was sent to the school offices and emergency personnel were at the school until midnight doing decontamination.

On hand were Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas Police Department, Douglas Fire Department, Cochise County Hazmat, Cochise County Health Department Cochise County Emergency Management and Southeast Arizona Medical Center personnel.

It started when a Douglas High School office worker opened an envelope containing white powder late Monday afternoon.

Unfortunately, the area was not contained quickly enough, and a friend took the office worker to Southeast Arizona Medical Center, spreading the possible threat to the waiting room.

Emergency service workers were at Douglas High School until about midnight because the area and people that may have come in contact with the envelope had to be decontaminated.

At the same time, the waiting room at the hospital also had to be decontaminated, according to Douglas Fire Chief Mario Novoa.

The high school is closed today while the cleanup continues.

Novoa said all evidence was being sent to Phoenix to the State Crime Lab.

There was no indication that the powder was toxic, but Novoa explained they he wanted to take every precaution necessary to protect the public.

 

Copyright © 2012 Douglas Dispatch

Comments

    Sergio wrote on Oct 29, 2008 1:07 PM:

    " All I can say for DHS is one word: Owned. "

    mary wrote on Oct 28, 2008 10:46 PM:

    " you should have the securty at douglas high school be more eyed open. they are only trying to see kids that have bag cloths on. they should be more worried about this kind off stuff than what kids wear. "

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