No hazards found at Inglewood courthouse after ‘powdery substance’ spotted in mail
The wheels of justice at the Inglewood Courthouse were brought to a standstill Monday when a court employee reported that he’d been burned by a “white powdery substance” from an envelope, officials said.
The man was taken to a hospital and 14 others who were working on the second floor of the courthouse had to be decontaminated as a precaution, said Fire Inspector David Dantic of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
As a precaution, six more people were also taken to the hospital.
In short order, the second floor of the courthouse on East Regent Street was evacuated. Later, fire officials emptied the whole building before a team of hazardous materials specialists from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrived.
Once investigators surveyed the envelope, however, no white powdery substance could be found.
Instead, the envelope was “a legitimate court document with no harmful substances or contents,” Deputy Juanita Smith said.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, she said. The condition of the injured employee was not known.
For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno.
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