LEHIGH COUNTY, PA – Hazmat crews from Allentown were dispatched late in the morning on August 9 to investigate a suspicious powder found in an envelope.
The Allentown Fire Department was dispatched around 11:00 AM for a report of an unknown white powder found in an envelope received at a local business. The business, Dorward Wholesale, was located at 1130 Hanover Avenue in the City.
Engine 5 responded and staged in a nearby parking lot while the Hazardous Materials Unit was requested. Medic 4 also responded and staged in the area.
Utility 55 arrived on scene and four crew members donned hazmat suits to exam the package. Hazmat personnel operated for over an hour before determining the substance was not a threat. The incident was then turned over to police.
Later in the day, police announced the substance in question was actually a painkiller. They are investigating the source and why the narcotic was mailed.
