This is just breaking from Twitter. It appears 11 people got sick after opening a letter at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia.
Here’s what we know:
JUST IN: Eleven people fell ill, three taken to hospital after letter opened at military base in Arlington, Virginia - fire department pic.twitter.com/hz1Eu2toHR
— Reuters U.S. News (@ReutersUS) February 27, 2018
DEVELOPING: Officials say there is an ongoing Hazmat incident at Joint Base Myer Henderson next to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia; two Marines have been affected by an unknown substance found in an envelope, official tells @ABC News. https://t.co/lyJyZeeK9c pic.twitter.com/mrnVWMAm5r
— ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2018
Update: Regional HazMat Team is making entry to ID substance @ArlingtonVaFD @AlexandriaVAFD #BREAKING pic.twitter.com/KaexXtx1tS
— IAFF LOCAL F253 (@FortMyerFire) February 27, 2018
#Update: Ft Myer Hazmat, 11 people started feeling ill after letter was opened in consolidated admin building. 3 were transported. Condition not known. Ft Myer PIO enroute.
— Arlington Fire (@ArlingtonVaFD) February 27, 2018
#Update: Ft Myer, 3 transported patients in stable condition. Command is scaling back incident starting to put some units in service. Investigation ongoing.
— Arlington Fire (@ArlingtonVaFD) February 27, 2018
BREAKING: Eleven people at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia have fallen ill after being in the vicinity of a suspicious letter https://t.co/j01mO1dPyh pic.twitter.com/NnqvjqVN0z
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) February 27, 2018
I’ll update when we have more…
UPDATE:
Looks like it might be a chemical attack:
At least 5 people reportedly being treated for nose bleeds and burning sensations after letter opened on military base https://t.co/iYrHbYXhlu pic.twitter.com/xREp6usQz2
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) February 27, 2018
An emergency task force was reportedly called for at around 4:30 p.m. at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall after initial reports suggest a letter was opened that may have contained a hazardous substance, according to local news company ARLnow.
At least 11 people were reportedly ill and being treated for symptoms that include nose bleeds and burning sensations. Three patients were transported and in stable condition, according to the Arlington Fire Department.
The building was evacuated and a decontamination station was deployed.
UPDATE 2:
https://twitter.com/lindseymastis/status/968628825197305857
Just received this statement from a Marine official at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall about suspicious letter the cause more than a dozen military members to get sick. @JBMHH pic.twitter.com/zqGCEWQkyw
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) February 27, 2018
UPDATE 3: FBI has joined the investigation:
LATEST: Three people who were transported for treatment are in stable condition after unknown substance sent to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Marine Corps official says. https://t.co/lyJyZewl0K
— ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2018
The FBI has joined the investigation. pic.twitter.com/OYln2JUd8r
UPDATE 4: Here’s the official statement from the Marines (in case the one above is tough to read)
An envelope containing an unknown substance was received, today,
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) February 27, 2018
aboard Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Personnel in the affected building took immediate preventative measures by evacuating the building.
Base officials are coordinating with local HAZMAT teams and @FBI. Several
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) February 27, 2018
Marines are receiving medical care as a result of this incident. No additional details are available at this time as the investigation is ongoing.
UPDATE 5:
A spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall says people say as soon as the mail was opened they began feeling poorly and complaining of sore throats: https://t.co/s0k8fdVqDX
— WHSVnews (@WHSVnews) February 28, 2018
A spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall says people in the office on the @USMC side of the base said that as soon as the mail was opened they began feeling poorly and complaining of sore throats. https://t.co/eJWrZV4Dz2
— laurenking (@laurenking) February 28, 2018