Marion County Fire Rescue worked in conjunction with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday to handle a suspicious package threat.
At 1:15 p.m. call-takers at the Marion County Public Safety Communications Center received an emergency call from a postal employee advising that the Sparr Post Office (12855 NE Jacksonville Road in Sparr) received 14 letters addressed to the Marion County Jail, one of which had the word “Anthrax” written on the outside.
MCFR’s Hazmat Team entered the post office in protective gear. The envelopes tested negative for hazardous gasses and radioactivity; paper was the only thing found inside. However, in following standard protocol, the envelopes were sent to the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories in Jacksonville for additional testing. MCSO is investigating the incident.
