MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) -- No evidence of poison has been found on the clothing of a postal worker who said she became sick after touching a suspicious powder, and the scare was probably a false alarm, authorities said Wednesday.
The female postal worker is among two employees at the Williamstown Post Office who were taken to a hospital for evaluation Tuesday after complaining that they felt ill. Six others chose to go to the hospital as a precaution, authorities said.
The sweater the woman was wearing was sent to a state lab, but no traces of ricin were found, said Donald Benedik, a Gloucester County health officer. Anthrax test results were expected Thursday.
None of the powder was recovered in the post office, which was closed Tuesday but reopened later in the day.
Benedik said one of the sick workers had a severe caffeine allergy that could have been triggered by coffee or an energy powder that authorities believe was being sent to an address in the area. He also said the powder could have been dust.
The post office is about 20 miles southeast of Philadelphia. The mail processing facility in Hamilton, roughly 35 miles north, was shut down in October 2001 after letters containing anthrax passed through the building.
Last week a powdery substance determined to be the ricin was found in a Senate office building in Washington. Officials have said they don't know if the ricin was mailed to the office.
In Virginia, three post offices in Petersburg were closed Wednesday after a woman dropped off a package leaking white powder and fled, authorities said. An analysis of the powder ruled out anthrax, Deputy Fire Chief Gary Peterson said.
