Book-club delivery behind haz-mat scare

[Ian David]

September 12, 2007
By FRANK ABDERHOLDEN [e-mail]

GRAYSLAKE -- A book club delivery was the culprit in a suspicious package Monday night at Lake Forest Hospital Acute Care facility that triggered a call for a hazardous materials team.

Two adults and a child received a package in the mail and noticed there was a black substance on the outside of the package. The people reported feeling a burning sensation in their eyes and skin irritation, so they went to the acute care center and took the package with them, said Deputy Fire Chief Greg Formica.

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As it turned out, the couple were suspicious because they did not recognize the return address on the envelope. After it was opened, the fire department investigated and learned that a grandparent had entered the child in a book-of-the-month club and that the package contained the first book.

Formica said all they found was a kind of ink on the package, no hazardous material, that may have been applied by a sorting machine.

More:
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/552447,5_1_WA12_BOOKCLUB_S1.article