Officials say substance found in mailroom not harmful

Mailroom workers in Read Hall on East Green spotted a white, granular substance Monday afternoon inside a mail delivery bag from the Athens Post Office, 5 W. Stimson Ave.

The Ohio University Police Department responded to the call about the suspicious material.

Jimmy Matthews, OU environmental health and safety director, said the substance was not harmful and was likely a mixture of paper particles commonly found in mailbags.

As a precautionary measure, officials closed the building's offices about 3 p.m. Monday, university spokesman Jack Jeffery said. Read's offices and mailroom reopened for normal operations at 9:30 a.m. yesterday.

All East Green residence halls have a student mail center.

Read Hall houses 138 residents in 76 rooms.

–Jeremy Boren