DES MOINES — White powder that spilled from an envelope raised an alarm at Drake University.
A false alarm, as it turns out. A hazardous materials team called to Herriott Hall on Tuesday determined the powder was cornstarch.
A Des Moines Fire Department spokesman said a Drake student, as a prank, had put the cornstarch in a letter he was mailing to a friend. The powder was found on the letter in a mail slot at the dorm.
The investigation has been turned over to the U.S. Postal Service.
The hazmat team was called in just before 9:45 a.m. Students were let back into the dorm at 10:30 a.m. — AP
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