Questions linger in Zondervan evacuation (Christian knick-knack Company received hoax Anthrax scare)

[Ian David]

CASCADE TOWNSHIP -- Mystery still shrouds most of the circumstances surrounding a mysterious package delivered to Zondervan Publishing that caused the evacuation of hundreds of employees Monday.

Two employees became ill after opening the package that contained an unknown substance, coughing and having difficulty breathing.

The rest of the employees were evacuated to a business across the street where they would not talk to 24 Hour News 8.

A spokesperson for the company had no information on the package or its contents, either.

Although the evacuated employees wouldn't talk to 24 Hour News 8, the workers at Interface Fabrics -- where Zondervan employees took refuge -- did.

"They were talking about a box found and there was a powdery substance that they had located," said Barb Sielaff of Interface.

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"Somebody mentioned they thought it was addressed to the devil," she said.

More:
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6108405&nav=menu44_2



See also:

Mail Scare
Zondervan employees evacuate after receiving suspicious package.
Tabby Yang | posted 2/19/2007 04:40PM

Two employees at Zondervan publishing company in Cascade Township, Michigan became ill after opening a suspicious package in the mailroom. Douglas Lockhart, Zondervan's president and CEO, said that a powdery material had leaked from the package. The two employees experienced upper respiratory problems, including coughing and difficulty breathing, according to WOOD TV8 reports.

Zondervan contacted the fire department at 11:49 a.m. One employee, Carolyn Weidmayer, was rushed to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, while the other sick worker was treated on-site.

The Kent County fire department and sheriff's department, as well as the Grand Rapids hazardous materials unit, rushed to the scene. Employees were sent across the street to the Krispy Kreme headquarters for possible treatment, reporter Patrick Center announced in a live WOOD TV8 broadcast.

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No hazardous materials were found inside the package, and at around 2:40 p.m., building was cleared, Cessna said.

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Zondervan publishes Bibles and other Christian materials that are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide. It has a team of more than 360 employees.

More:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/februaryweb-only/108-12.0.html