Powder leads to lockdown

A powdery substance investigators learned was mostly corn starch caused a lockdown at a North Idaho office Wednesday.

Three employees at the Louisiana Pacific Corp. office near Hayden were in isolation after one dumped a substance found in a mail room tray and all reported feeling their eyes burn, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department.

The Sheriff’s Department, Northern Lakes Fire District and hazardous-material crews responded to the office at 13402 N. Government Way about 11 a.m. The three employees were treated by medics and the office’s approximately 30 employees weren’t allowed to leave the building until the substance was identified.

“They determined that the substance was corn-starch based and was of no further hazard,” according to a news release.

The substance has been sent to a laboratory in Spokane for further testing.

Investigators are working to track the source of the powder, which may have been in the mail room for several days, according to the Sheriff’s Department.