From Deseret News archives:
Suspicious mail shuts Guard headquarters in Draper
The package, however, was never actually opened, said Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Hank McIntire. The package arrived in the mailroom about 10:30 a.m.
"The worker deemed the package suspicious because it matched the description contained in a security advisory received (Monday) from National Guard Bureau," McIntire said in a written statement.
The mailroom worker placed the package in a sealed plastic bag and contacted their supervisor, he said. Draper police, Postal Inspectors and other officials responded to the scene. By 10:45 a.m., the building was evacuated.
A field screening of the package revealed no dangerous substances, McIntire said. The package was then sent to a FBI lab for further testing.
The 85th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team of the Guard was called to test the people in the mailroom at the time to make sure they weren't exposed to any dangerous substances and to conduct tests on site, McIntire said. Those field tests had negative results.
Workers were told to be back at work Wednesday.
Tuesday's incident at the National Guard was the latest in a series of package and envelope scares in recent weeks in Utah and across the nation.
On Tuesday, the Utah State Capitol was evacuated after a suspicious package containing a white powdery substance was opened. Similar scares have taken place at governor's offices in other states as well as the Los Angeles and Salt Lake temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In all cases, the substances were found to be harmless.
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com, preavy@desnews.com
