Seven people were briefly hospitalised after a suspicious package containing an unknown white powder was opened at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the home of Air Force One, on Thursday.
The base's command said in a statement that an individual opened the package in the afternoon, prompting the evacuation of the building and an adjoining structure. A cordon was established around the area as a precaution.
First responders dispatched to the scene determined there were no immediate threats, and normal operations have since resumed. All seven people were released from hospital after being taken to the Malcolm Grove medical center on the base.
An initial field test by the hazardous materials team did not detect anything harmful, according to CNN, which first reported the incident. The investigation is ongoing, led by the US Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
The package was opened in a room within a building that houses the Air National Guard Readiness Center, which has been closed while inquiries continue. The specifics of the powder and any illnesses it may have caused remain unclear.
