White powder causes scare in Autoworld

Emergency services including civil protection forces were called to the motor museum Autoworld in the Cinquantenaire Park yesterday after white powder was discovered in an envelope sent to the museum by mail, director Sebastien de Baere said. The envelope contained two vials and two clear plastic packets each containing a white powder.

The museum's offices were evacuated and searched by civil protection, while the employees who had been in contact with the envelope were examined by a doctor sent to the scene. They were then taken to a container, along with three of the firemen in attendance, to undergo a decontamination procedure.

The museum remained open to visitors during the search, although police stopped new admittances for a time. The powder was taken to the federal police laboratory, where it was found to be harmless.

The envelope, de Baere said, bore a Japanese postage stamp, and the logo of the museum copied by hand. “According to what I've heard, this is a procedure often used by drugs couriers to test if their products can pass through customs undetected. It could be that it's a pure coincidence that we happen to be the victims.” Police are investigating.