Des Moines fire crews didn't have to go very far Thursday to investigate a hazardous materials scare at the Polk County Courthouse.
They were already across the street, fighting a fire at the Polk County Jail.
The two buildings are right across the street from each other at Sixth Avenue and Cherry Street.
Authorities said that the inmates were never in any danger and neither were the courthouse employees across the street.
At about 10:15 a.m. Thursday, smoke was billowing from the county jail, and firefighters were making their way inside.
A Des Moines Fire Department representative said that wiring in the jail's elevator shaft was to blame for the small fire.
"(It) put up quite a bit of smoke, but basically it was put out without too much trouble other than carrying a lot of extinguishers upstairs," said Capt. Tony Merrill, of the Des Moines Fire Department.
Inmates were not evacuated. Fire trucks left, but they barely made it around the block before they were called to the courthouse.
"One actually just finished, and some of the people walked across the street and started the other one," Merrill said.
"The deputies came around at 10:30 and told us there'd been a questionable package," said Mark Littlejohn, a court attendant.
Before long, fire crews were joined by emergency management officials, the bomb squad and U.S. postal inspectors.
Some business activity continued in the courthouse during the incident, but other workers were quarantined in their offices as hazardous materials crews moved into the building to get the package.
"When they got out the scrub brushes, we were concerned a little bit, but everybody remained pretty calm," Littlejohn said.
In less than 30 minutes later, they had emerged with a tub holding the white powder.
"It was in an envelope that came in the mail with no return address and no other contents in the envelope other than the powder itself," Merrill said.
Investigators said the substance was not dangerous, but they could not yet confirm what it was. They are still running tests.
"The first time you treat something as though we've had this before, then that's when things can jump up and bite you," Merrill said.
The envelope contained only powder. Investigators said they are pretty sure it was a malicious act and whoever mailed it wanted to trigger this kind of a reaction.
Police are now trying to trace where this letter came from, and they hope to prosecute whomever sent it.
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