ROCKFORD, IL – Workers at a local debt collection agency that paid a heavy fine this year for allegedly using scare tactics received a scare of their own Thursday.
The Capital Acquisitions and Management Co. building at Main and Jefferson streets was evacuated between 10 and 11 a.m. after an employee in the second-floor mailroom opened an envelope and found a powdery substance in it. The envelope, addressed only to a post office box with no return address and an out-of-state postmark, did not contain a letter, just powder.
More than 300 employees reportedly work in the building. It’s unknown how many employees were in the building at the time of the evacuation.
The Fire Department shut down the ventilation system and field-tested the powder for anthrax. The results were negative, but the substance had yet to be identified Thursday afternoon.
“It could be any type of flour, a wheat protein. It’s kind of a brown, powdery substance. We just know it’s not harmful at this time,” said Rockford Fire Operations Chief Bill Beaman.
Beaman also praised company officials for the way they handled the incident.
For this complete story, please visit Collection Agency Gets Anthrax Scare.
