Facebook evacuates four buildings at California campus over sarin nerve agent scare

Package posted to social media giant tested positive for the deadly compound, fire department said

Reading Time:1 minute

A Facebook fan poses in front of a sign outside Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California on Monday. Photo: EPA

Published: 11:33am, 2 Jul 2019Updated: 11:32am, 2 Jul 2019

Facebook evacuated four buildings and two people were being evaluated for possible exposure to the nerve agent sarin on Monday after a package at the social media company’s Silicon Valley mail facility tested positive for the toxic compound.

The people who came in contact with the suspicious package at about 11am did not show any symptoms of exposure to sarin, said Jon Johnston, fire marshal for the city of Menlo Park, California, where Facebook is based.

Menlo Park Fire Department, FBI and Hazmat officers outside the Facebook mail facility in Menlo Park, California on Monday. Photo: EPA

“[Facebook] tests all of the packages that come in and they had a positive test, so they just initiated their standard protocol. Now we’re just waiting to verify whether that’s true or not,” he said.

Fire personnel were preparing to enter the mail facility at around 6pm to assess the packages, Johnston said.

Facebook spokesman Anthony Harrison said the company cleared four buildings following the positive test and was cooperating with police in the investigation.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x

Facebook evacuates four buildings at California campus over sarin nerve agent scare

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Package posted to social media giant tested positive for the deadly compound, fire department said

Package posted to social media giant tested positive for the deadly compound, fire department said