Federal facility evacuated after hazmat scare

Updated: Tue 3:42 PM, Jul 03, 2012

A federal facility has been evacuated after two suspicious packages were discovered.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird says emergency crews were called to the Kentucky Consular Center off of I-75 exit 15 in Whitley County around 9:30 Tuesday morning.

The chief tells WKYT that workers in the mail room called 911 after opening one of the packages which contained an unknown substance. A second similar package was then discovered. Three workers in the mail room are being decontaminated.

Chief Bird says that Senator Mitch McConnell was scheduled to tour the facility, which is a visa lottery processing facility, this afternoon. That visit is now on hold.

Chief Bird tells WKYT investigators do not believe the packages were connected to McConnell's visit and believes it was only a coincidence.

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