FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Fayetteville Police Department had to evacuate the station after a package with a mysterious substance was delivered to the building through the mail Sunday (Sept. 20) afternoon.
Authorities worked for hours investigating the substance. A white substance spilled out of a package delivered to the department. The mystery substance is what prompted the evacuation.
“It was baking soda that had leaked out inside the box and leaked out when they opened the box,” said Fayetteville Battalion Cheif Braden Flood.
The substance inside the package turned out to be harmless but the battalion chief says its better to be over-prepared.
“When it’s unknown it’s better to be safe than sorry right,” said Flood.
Dwight Pfeffer lives near the police station. He says he believes something like this is an act to incite fear.
“It’s just another layer to frighten the local people into being just afraid,” said Pfeffer.
The Bentonville Bomb Squad and the Fayetteville Hazardous Material Unit and others investigated for three hours before giving the all-clear.
“It’s all safe, we’re getting everyone back in and back to service,” said Flood.
Police say they're still investigating where the package was sent from but for now, workers have been given the okay to go back in the building.
