MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee firefighters determined that a suspicious material found at the downtown post office was not dangerous following preliminary testing.
MFD's Hazardous Materials Team was called around 11:15 a.m. Friday for a suspicious package. City officials described it as an envelope with a powdery substance.
"After doing several tests it was concluded that there is nothing hazardous and no concerns. Package has been contained and it's being checked for further tests," MFD Lt. Carlos Velazquez Sanchez stated.
Watch: MFD: Suspicious substance at Milwaukee post office not hazardous
The United States Postal Inspection Service tells TMJ4 they were notified Friday about a potential letter coming into Milwaukee.
"We were able to intercept it. Today we worked with our partners from the Milwaukee Fire Department Hazmat Unit, and the FBI, who were able to take custody of the letter," said Francis Pilon, supervisor with the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Related: https://www.tmj4.com/news/milwaukee-county/heavy-police-presence-at-milwaukees-downtown-post-office
Local authorities did not disclose where the envelope came from or its intended destination. However, they say the situation is similar to other incidents nationwide where mail was directed towards election offices.
Jeff Fleming, director of communications and public engagement for the mayor's office, stated that the election commission and emergency responders have been preparing for every possible scenario to protect the election process.
"I want to reassure people that every possible scenario has been considered and the city is well-prepared to respond as necessary as you can see in this situation," Fleming said.
The president of the American Postal Workers Union Milwaukee Area Local 3, Glenn Griggs, shared his frustration over how the incident was handled and what he described as confusing communication within the postal service.
"When I see them coming out they had on suits so if they're going in the building with suits why are my members not evacuated? It doesn't make sense to me. They shouldn't be in the building if you're sending people in with hazmat suits," Griggs told TMJ4.
Pilon said this incident did not negatively impact mail processing, including election materials.
The FBI released a statement Friday evening, confirming they are looking into the suspicious mail.
Read their full statement below:
“The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to U.S. Postal facilities in several states. Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters. As this is an ongoing matter we will not be commenting further on the investigation, but the public can be assured safety is our top priority. We would also like to remind everyone to exercise care in handling mail, especially from unrecognized senders. If you see something suspicious, please contact law enforcement immediately."
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