10 hospitalized following exposure to white powder at Ga. plant

Aug. 15, 2011
Police believe incident may be a deliberate act

COVINGTON, Ga. --

Investigators are trying to figure out who deliberately left behind a white powdery substance at a Newton County plant. Now, nearly a dozen people are sick.

Ten people from the Pure Talk battery company are recovering at the Newton Medical Center. Police said all 10 are being decontaminated after being exposed to a white powder around 2:30 a.m.

Investigators said one of the employees at the company received a box full of cellphone batteries and two of the batteries were fused together. They said the employee tried to separate the batteries and a white powder was released.

Nine other employees were exposed to the powder, investigators said.

Those employees started complaining of burning eyes, burning skin and numbness in their hands, according to authorities.

Police said the employees drove themselves to the Newton Medical Center emergency room where they are currently being treated.

Convington police said there was a note attached to the box, leading them to believe this was a deliberate act.

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