Workers flee after mystery powder found
Offices evacuated following alert
Published:
WORKERS were evacuated from a North-east office after a potentially hazardous substance was found.
White powder was discovered on the ground floor of the building in Stonehaven’s Cameron Street.
Police said they could not confirm if it was found in a package or on the floor.
Emergency services went to the Criminal Justice Department building run by Aberdeenshire Council.
A Scottish Ambulance Service special operations response team of about seven people went to the scene.
Two Grampian Fire and Rescue units from Stonehaven and a support unit also attended.
There were around 11 firefighters there.
A Grampian Police spokesman said: “We can confirm that today the premises of the Criminal Justice Department, Cameron Street, Stonehaven, was evacuated as a precaution after a suspicious substance was discovered..”
He confirmed the whole building was evacuated as a precaution. It is understood other buildings in the area were not affected.
A Grampian Police spokesman added: “The building has been evacuated purely as a precautionary measure. A staff member found something and reported it.”
The spokesman confirmed the white powder was found on the ground floor of the building.
Bob Michie, manager of The Pet Shop on Cameron Street, said there was a lot of activity on the street but did not know what had happened.
He said: “There’s a lot of fire engines and police have the road closed.”
But Mr Michie said he was not too worried yet.
“It’s far enough away from me,” he said.
“If it’s genuine then I’m concerned for the people closer to it.”
