Powder in Montana envelope just crushed pain pill

[March 13, 2010]  HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- The white powder that caused a scare at a state office building this week was actually a pain relief tablet that apparently fell into an envelope before a woman mailed in some paperwork, Helena police said.

Assistant Police Chief Dave Jeseritz said what was initially though to be a possible "triggering device" in the envelope was a lollipop stick.

When the envelope was opened Tuesday morning and the powder was released, the third floor of the Department of Labor & Industry building was closed, and three state workers and a Helena police officer were isolated for several hours while the substance was tested. It was found to be harmless.

Jeseritz said police suspect that the pill and the lollipop stick fell into the envelope as the woman carried it around in her purse for about a week before mailing it. No charges will be filed.

"Given the amount of powder that was released and the unusual nature of the envelope, the emergency response teams' actions were entirely appropriate," Jeseritz said. "We have no margin of error in cases like these."

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Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com

[Associated Press]

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