On August 24, local first responder Departments, including Paris Fire, Police, and EMS, all responded to a hazmat incident that Monday morning just before 11 a.m. at the Shoe Dept. store in the Paris Towne Center on Lamar Ave.
When news broke, Paris police assisted firefighters in creating a safe barrier at the store’s entrance. Paris EMS crews worked with firefighters as they assessed customers and staff inside the store.
“The report reflects that the business personnel had received a return box of merchandise from an individual. The box of the merchandise contained a letter addressed to the Bradford Exchange director,” said Paris police department Public Information Officer Curtis Garrett.
Garrett further stated the letter never made any threat but did ramble on for several pages.
“After opening the box containing the merchandise, two employees began itching. The regional hazmat team [based with Paris Fire Department] tested the box and merchandise extensively with all test results producing a negative for any foreign substances,” Garrett added.
Due to no foreign substances being detected, the box and merchandise were not sent to an independent lab for further testing.
The person that returned the merchandise has been interviewed and has been determined not to be any threat.
Paris police and assisting authorities, including representatives of the FBI, have now deemed the case closed.
