AIRDRIE, ALBERTA – Fri., Jan. 17, 2020 at 9:13 a.m., the Airdrie Fire Department responded to a report of a suspicious package located at the Canada Post facility on Kingsview Boulevard SE.
Upon arrival, fire crews were notified by Canada Post staff that a package located in the sorting area was leaking a white powder-like substance onto the floor.
Fire Command immediately requested that both the RCMP and an AHS Incident Response Paramedic (IRP), with specialized HAZMAT response training, attend the scene to provide assistance.
Forty-two Canada Post staff were temporarily evacuated to a clean and safe location within the building. Due to possible exposure to the unknown substance one patient was initially assessed on scene by the IRP.
Firefighters in full protective gear entered the sorting area to view the package and collect information from an attached shipping label.
RCMP used this information to contact the person receiving the package who then assisted with identifying the contents. It was confirmed that the package contained kitchen items including a small canister of baking powder.
After approximately one hour, the building was deemed safe and the staff were permitted to return to work.
There were no injuries to report. Two pieces of apparatus and five firefighters were on scene.
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Media contact:
Deputy Chief Garth Rabel
403.948.8800 ext. 7612