Chemical discharge forces post office evacuation

SHARPSBURG — Authorities are investigating the discharge of a chemical inside the Sharpsburg Post Office after several people became ill this afternoon.

Emergency responders from Sharpsburg, Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson counties, the N.C. State Highway Patrol and the N.C. Hazardous Materials Regional Response Team evacuated the post office and closed down a section of U.S. 301 after receiving a call around 1:45 p.m.

People inside of the post office became ill – some coughing and others suffering from facial burning stemming from an unknown chemical, Sharpsburg police said.

Sharpsburg Police Chief B.C. Bissette said some type of irritant was released either “accidentally or inadvertently.“

As of early afternoon, Bissette said, 10 people including first responders were being treated at a field decontamination tent and were to be transported for hospital care.

A female patient was transported from the scene suffering respiratory complications and a seizure, he added.

Nash General Hospital received 20 patients for treatment by mid-afternoon.

The first eight patients were transported to the hospital by ambulance and began receiving treatment just before 3:30 p.m. Nearly 30 minutes later the hospital received word that another 12 people would be coming from the post office on bus, said Jeff Hedgepeth director of communications for Nash Health Care Systems.

The hospital called a code orange, which deals with hazmat issues, Hedgepeth said. An area outside of the emergency room would be closed off to decontaminate and treat individuals involved.

“Right now we’re just relying on the hazmat teams,“ Bissette said. “We’re waiting for the hazmat team so we can begin investigating.“

Officers who initially arrived at the scene said the people who were inside the post office appeared to have been exposed to a chemical similar to pepper spray.

However, Bissette said, it is unknown what type of chemical was released or how it was dispersed throughout the building.

“It may be some kind of chemical that was shipped to a post office box,“ Bissette said.

An onlooker at the scene said that he experienced watery eyes and severe coughing after he went into the post office Tuesday.

Bissette said he has received reports of similar instances that occurred Tuesday.

“There were some people that said they noticed a strange odor yesterday,“ he said.

In addition, authorities are looking into a possible connection between the chemical discharge and a report of vandalism that occurred at the post office late Tuesday night.

Bissette said police received reports of trash cans being overturned.

Staff writer Carolyn Casey contributed to this report.