Anthrax Scare at Federal Offices in Downtown Binghamton

Some federal offices in downtown Binghamton were evacuated after a worker opened an envelope that contained a suspicious white powder.

City Police Chief Joseph Zikuski said authorities were called to the Social Security Administration offices at the corner of Court and Hawley streets around 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Zikuski said an employee discovered a "white powdery substance" inside an envelope along with a letter that indicated the material was anthrax.

The police chief said "precautions were taken" and the fire department's hazardous materials team was called to the office building.

Zikuski said after the fire department tested the powder, they were "confident it's not hazardous material." He said the substance was to be tested at an FBI lab in Albany.

The police chief said authorities were aware of a similar incident in Utica Friday morning and other incidents Thursday in northern New York.

Zikuski declined to discuss the specific contents of the note that was in the envelope.

The Social Security Administration offices are on the third floor of the building at 2 Court Street. Most other workers in the large office complex were unaffected by the anthrax scare.

Emergency crews were at the building for about two hours.

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com

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