Hazmat team called after business receives suspicious letter

BOARDMAN — A letter containing an unknown white powdery substance that was received by American Business Center, 7677 South Avenue, was sent by a disgruntled former employee who was fired last week, Boardman Fire Chief Mark Pitzer said.

Pitzer said his department responded to a call from the business at 1:15 p.m. today after opening the letter.

Officials on the scene are currently evacuating the nine employees who were not exposed to the letter.

The two employees who were exposed are under quarantine, Pitzer said. He said they will be evacuated, decontaminated by a hazmat team and taken to a hospital.

The hazmat team will then retrieve the letter, which will be given to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be tested for substances such as ricin and anthrax.

Pitzer said Boardman police officers are working with the Warren police department to track down the suspect, whose address was on the letter.