PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University police have closed an area of the university’s Central Receiving and Student Mail Services unit today (Nov. 8) while a white substance found on several packages is evaluated.
Steve Hansen, WSU police chief, said WSU staff members found the boxes dusted with a white substance following a morning delivery from the United Parcel Service. A WSU Environmental Health and Safety team immediately took samples from the packages to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for analysis. A preliminary report is due by noon Friday.
WSU staff members who were in the receiving area when the packages arrived, showered and were given clean clothes. About noon they were allowed to go home for the rest of Thursday. All Central Receiving staff will resume regular operations in other portions of the building on Friday morning.
“The staff members were very quick to identify the unusual substance on the outside of several packages, and every effort was made to seal and sanitize the area,” Hansen said. “All safeguards are in place to ensure the safety of everyone at the university.”
