Facebook evacuated four buildings at its Menlo Park, Calif., campus Monday after equipment at the company’s mail-processing facility detected a package that might have contained sarin, a potentially lethal nerve agent, according to reports. Two individuals may have been exposed to sarin but are not currently showing signs or symptoms of exposure, Reuters reported, citing a local fire department official.
The detection of what could possibly be sarin at the social giant’s facilities was first reported by NBC Bay Area.
According to Facebook director of corporate media relations Anthony Harrison, a “suspicious” package was delivered at around 11 a.m. PT this morning to one of Facebook’s mail rooms. He said authorities have not yet identified the substance that was found in the package.
“We evacuated four buildings and are conducting a thorough investigation in coordination with local authorities,” Harrison said in a statement. “As of now, three of the evacuated buildings have been cleared for repopulation. The safety of our employees is our top priority and we will share additional information when it is available.”
Local authorities called in the FBI and the National Guard after the buildings were evacuated. The Bay Area’s ABC 7 reported that after first responders were initially alerted to the potential presence of sarin, a secondary open-air test came back negative for the chemical.
As part of standard procedures, Facebook tests packages sent through its mail facilities for dangerous substances, according to Business Insider.
Sarin is a man-made toxin that is a “chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exposure to large amounts of sarin can lead to respiratory failure possibly leading to death.