False alarm means decontamination of Ohio students

Nov. 4, 2008
Suspicious package leads to lockdown and decontamination of students in school's music building

NEWARK, Ohio -- Fifteen students and eight adults were showered by fire hose and a central Ohio high school's music building was locked down after a suspicious package was delivered to the band room.

And it was all a false alarm.

A hazardous materials unit was sent to Newark High School Friday after it was reported that an envelope containing white powder had been delivered to a band director. The director and a secretary both complained of itching.

But Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Walker says there never was any powder. He says the envelope held a photocopy of a textbook page on World War I.

U.S. Postal Inspector Alejandro Almaguer says there was a miscommunication.

The people in the building were quarantined and eventually given decontamination showers outdoors.

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