Substance delivered to Carson accountant 'not hazardous'

by F.T. Norton

Nevada Appeal Staff Writer

Law enforcement officials descended on a Carson City public accountant's office Monday after a tablet-like substance was found in an envelope.

The substance turned out not to be hazardous, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said.

Furlong said the incident doesn't appear to be related to one Friday at the state mailroom, where an envelope containing powder prompted a quarantine for several hours before it was determined to be flour.

Responders from the Carson City Fire and Sheriff's departments, Nevada Division of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Guard's Civil Support Team responded to the incident at Bullis & Company CPA Ltd., on South Division Street.

An employee called police just after 8 a.m. when she found the chunky substance inside an envelope.

Owner John Bullis said the envelope appeared to be one that the accounting firm sends out with correspondence. Bullis said he did not know who sent it. He said the substance would have to have been intentionally placed there.

"I would think that it's not an accident," he said. "The cost to the taxpayers for all those people to descend on our office and try and protect us if it was something bad, that's a big cost."

Bullis said three employees were quarantined until testing could be done.

"We're grateful for the response. I was quite impressed with their quick response and their thoroughness of it," Bullis said.

Three tests at the scene indicated there was no hazardous material in the granules and that it might contain a common household medication, said Furlong.

By 10:30 a.m., fire department testing determined the substance to not be hazardous and it was taken to the Nevada State Health Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno for further testing.

On Friday, the discovery of powder in an envelope similar to those delivered to dozens of governors across the country prompted the quarantine of 12 state employees. After eight hours, testing revealed the substance to be flour. Law enforcement believes Friday's case is related to the national hoax.

Under federal law, sending hoax letters can result in up to five years in prison.

Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.

The National Guard's Civil Support Team's purpose is to support civil authorities at a domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosive incident site by identifying those agents or substances, assessing current and projected consequences, advising on response measures and assisting with appropriate requests for additional support.