White Powder Package Sickens Personnel at US Base

By Staff, Agencies

Several people fell ill and were hospitalized after a suspicious package containing an unknown white powder was opened at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, CNN reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the investigation.

The envelope was opened inside a room in a building that houses the Air National Guard Readiness Center, according to CNN.

Joint Base Andrews said the event occurred after an individual “opened a suspicious package,” adding that “as a precaution, the building and connecting building were evacuated, and a cordon was established around the area.”

Several people were transported to the Malcolm Grow Medical Center on the base for evaluation; the extent of their illnesses has not been disclosed.

Base first responders and a HAZMAT team initially evaluated the scene. An initial field test from the HAZMAT team did not detect anything hazardous, CNN reported, citing a source. First responders later turned the scene over to the Office of Special Investigations as the inquiry continued.

CNN said the package and its contents are under investigation and that two sources described the substance as an unknown white powder.

US authorities have not yet released the number of people affected, specific symptoms, or the results of any laboratory analyses. Officials are treating the incident with caution because Joint Base Andrews is a high-profile military installation.

Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington, D.C., is home to Air Force One and key Air Force units, serving as a vital hub for national command and emergency response. Any security incident there, even minor, prompts strict containment, medical checks, and law enforcement action.