4 Quarantined After Suspicious Package Found Package Contains Test Tubes, White Powder
UPDATED: 11:52 AM EST February 3, 2004
B MELBOURNE, Fla. -- A suspicious package containing test tubes and an unidentified white powder prompted police to quarantine four workers Tuesday morning at a doctor's office about two blocks from Holmes Regional Medical Center, according to a report.
Melbourne police were first contacted about the package at 9:36 a.m. when workers at Dr. Douglas Sorensen's office located at 200 Michigan Ave. noticed the package, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported. . "It's a small package," said Sgt. Lou Markline, spokesman for the Melbourne Police Department.
"They opened it up and it had some white powder inside. Right now we have four people quarantined," Markline said.
The Brevard County Sheriff's Office arrived to evaluate the package, which had at least five test tubes inside what was supposed to be vacuum-sealed container. However, officials said the package appeared to be cut open.
The four workers were removed from the office and relocated to another site, said Assistant Chief Greg Anglin, a spokesman for the Melbourne Fire Department.
"They were moved away, washed and decontaminated," Anglin said of the workers.
Other offices in the building were also evacuated earlier. The roads in the immediate vicinity of the building remained open to traffic, officials said.
Anyone with information on the package is asked to contact police at 259-1211.