White Powder Found At Newburyport District Court

NEWBURYPORT, MA — The discovery of a white powder shut down a the Newburyport District Court building Tuesday morning. A Tier 1 HazMat team response was triggered after a the powder was found in a plastic baggie in the second-floor women's restroom around 10:30 a.m., Police Chief Christopher LeClaire said.

The area was cordoned off, but the building was not evacuated as the powder was contained in the plastic bag. The powder has been sent to a state lab for testing. It is unknown what it is.

One person who was near the substance was taken to the hospital as a precaution, police said.

"We responded to the courthouse this morning after a suspicious white powder was located in a restroom, and firefighters relied on their training and experience with hazardous materials to cordon off the area and ensure the safe removal of the substance," LeClaire said. "One person was evaluated at the hospital, but thankfully it appears that no one was sickened or injured today."

The scene was cleared shortly after 2 p.m.

An investigation is underway.