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Powder-filled letter prompts Reuters to evacuate its New York newsroom

by Yuliya Talmazan | October 27, 2008 at 11:37 am

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Reuters News Agency had to evacuate its NY newsroom after one of the company’s editors received a letter filled with mysterious powder. The news agency had to evacuate 140 of its newsroom employees and arrange for them to work from elsewhere because the news coverage could not go interrupted. This incident is the latest in the string of powder-filled letter mailings to major organizations, such as Chase Bank offices and the New York Times headquarters.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York newsroom of Reuters News was evacuated on Monday after receiving an envelope with a "puff of powder" in it, Reuters spokeswoman Jolie Hunt said.

Police told staff to evacuate the 19th-floor New York newsroom after Brian Rhoads, the company's managing editor for the Americas, opened an envelope and a "puff of powder" came out of it, Hunt said.

Police isolated the envelope, and Rhoads, and then told the 140 members of staff to leave as a precautionary measure while they investigate. Staff made arrangements to ensure the company could put out a news file using its other offices.

The New York office in Times Square is the headquarters of Thomson Reuters, the parent company, and the newsroom is the firm's second largest after London.

This month, threatening letters, many containing a suspicious white powder, were sent to Chase bank offices in several states and the New York Times headquarters in New York.