AUSTIN — State and federal law enforcement officials are investigating reports of an “unknown substance” mailed to the Texas Attorney General’s office in Austin on Thursday that sent three people to the hospital as a precaution for possible exposure to hazardous materials.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI are investigating after a report came in just before 9 a.m. of a letter containing an unknown substance mailed to the Office of the Attorney General, according to a statement from DPS.
Authorities evacuated the first and second floors of the William P. Clements Building on the Texas Capitol campus in downtown Austin, which houses the AG’s office and other state offices. Three employees of the attorney general’s office were evaluated and decontaminated at the scene, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services.
Hazmat Alarm at 300 W. 15th St (09:10). #ATCEMS has 3 ambulances & 2 district commanders on scene of this incident. 3 patients have been decontaminated & #ATCEMSMedics are evaluating them for potential symptoms. More information to follow. https://t.co/bYFO1VYsNe
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) November 9, 2023
They were later transported to a nearby hospital as a precaution but showed no symptoms of exposure to hazardous material, the EMS department statement read. No further information was provided on their conditions, and the attorney general’s office has not provided comment.
An Austin Fire Department hazmat team tested the substance for a variety of dangerous substances. All tests came back negative, DPS officials said. Further testing will be conducted by the FBI, DPS said.
DPS is leading the investigation into the incident.