SAGINAW, Mich. – U.S. Senator Carl Levin's Saginaw office was evacuated Wednesday morning after one of his staff members found what he considered a suspicious letter.
A hazardous material team was called to the scene around 11:30 a.m. to the office at 515 N. Washington in Saginaw. The building was immediately evacuated. The officer worker who found the letter was transported to a local hospital where he is undergoing a medical evaluation. The staffer had no symptoms but had to be decontaminated as a precaution.
Levin has offices in Washington and seven in Michigan. The FBI has been notified and is investigating. A HazMat team from Detroit has also been called to help with the investigation.
--Senator Carl Levin's Saginaw office was evacuated Wednesday morning after a suspicious letter was found
The building is also Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, a branch of the UAW.
Senator Levin's issued the following statement:
"Earlier today, a staffer at my Saginaw regional office received a suspicious-looking letter. The letter was not opened, and the staffer followed the proper protocols for the situation, including alerting the authorities, who are now investigating. We do not know yet if the mail presented a threat. I'm grateful for my staff's quick response and for government personnel at all levels who are responding."
Stay with Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.com as more information is made available.
Suspicious Letter Sent to President Obama
The discovery at Senator Levin's office came just a day after letter addressed to President Barack Obama that contained a "suspicious substance" has been intercepted at the White House's off-site mail facility, a Secret Service spokesman said Wednesday.
The letter arrived Tuesday, the same day as an envelope addressed to a U.S. senator that initially tested positive for the deadly poison ricin.