Alameda HazMat Situation Resolved

ALAMEDA, CA — A mysterious white powder found inside an Alameda apartment this morning is not hazardous but what exactly it is remains unclear, a fire captain said.

The white crystallized powder was discovered after firefighters responded to reports of a possible natural gas leak at 10:28 a.m. inside the apartment in the area of 700 Central Ave., according to Alameda Fire Capt. Jim Colburn.

A PG&E crew responded to help investigate the leak, but were unable to detect any sign of natural gas using a gas meter. PG&E crews helped firefighters turn off the gas in the apartment as a precaution, PG&E
spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said.

When crews entered the home, they found the powder and requested assistance from the Alameda County Fire Department's hazardous materials team, Colburn said.

While the hazmat crews determined this afternoon that the powder wasn't hazardous, they haven't determined exactly what it is and where it came from. Once it was determined to be safe, the apartment's residents were allowed to return home, Colburn said.

Colburn said he's not sure if the powder is what prompted the initial report of a natural gas leak.

"It was not natural gas," Colburn said. "I'm not sure if that substance was giving off an odor or if something else was."

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock