Firefighters and police investigate suspicious envelope
at Chase Bank branch on Park Avenue. Photo: Dan Damon.
Plainfield appears to be one of many cities targeted nationwide where Chase Bank branches received envelopes containing a suspicious white powder. Memories of anthrax mailings several years ago in New Jersey put authorities on high alert.
Fire vehicles blockaded Park Avenue between Front and Second Streets Tuesday afternoon in response to a report of a suspicious envelope containing white powder that was delivered to Plainfield's Chase Bank branch in the county office building at West Front Street and Park Avenue.
Plainfield OEM coordinator Sheldon Green, police and firefighters cordoned off the area and eventually removed the suspicious envelope for testing.
Plainfield Fire Division equipment blocks off Park Avenue.
Photo: Dan Damon.
Today's Star-Ledger and Gannett editions report that the suspicious letters were received at numerous Chase Bank branches in central New Jersey -- including Watchung -- but both fail to mention the Plainfield incident. One has to wonder if this is because of the general policy by the Robinson-Briggs administration of keeping police activity off the media's radar. Read the Ledger story here, and the Gannett story here.
The Associated Press reports that more than thirty such envelopes were tested after a nationwide rash of mailings to Chase Bank branches were received Tuesday.
According to the FBI, the substance found is non-toxic and thought to be calcium.
Barricades were taken down in Plainfield and traffic restored about 2:30 PM.
- Ledger: "N.J. banks included in nationwide mail threat"
- Gannett: "Powder-laced letters sent to banks in 9 NJ cities"
- AP: "FBI plans tests on powder sent to banks in several cities"
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1 comments:
What if this had been a real medical emergency and I was exposed to the anthrax. Would I grab a cab to another hospital?
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