Not-So-Special Delivery at Walnut Creek Post Office
(Contra Costa Times) No one was injured when a package with fireworks inside self-ignited and began smoldering inside the Walnut Creek’s (Calif.) main post office this morning, officials said.Police were told of a suspicious package smoldering inside the post office’s sorting room about 4:25 a.m.
A postal worker (mail processing clerk) took the package to a safe location outside the building in the 2000 block of Broadway. The worker told police that the package was giving off a chemical odor.
Fire and hazardous-material crews responded and found that the package had self-ignited.
“Basically when we arrived, a postal worker noticed smoke coming from the container so they put it outside,” county hazardous materials spokesman Neal Price said. “We inspected the package from a distance of about 5 to 10 feet and observed no off-gassing.”
A team member wearing protective equipment opened the box about 6:30 a.m.
“We noticed it was (chinese party) poppers,” Price said. “Some of them had gone off inside the package. We just separated it out and turned it over to the postal inspector.”
source: CONTRA COSTA TIMES
July 20th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Of course it was a mail processing clerk that took it out. No way would managment delay the mail by evacuating the building; they let a clerk endanger him/her self first! Even the county hazardous materials inspector first looked at it from 15-20′ away. I never ceased to be amazed.
July 20th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
My sentiments exactly, Sparky. Suppose he was “ordered” to movr it? What a maroon!!!