Trouble at Winifred Mail Center

[duffysmom]

The mail center at Winifred has been shut down all afternoon because of a suspicious package. Federal agents(?) are stopping people and asking them to leave the area. Drove by this evening around 7:30 and they were still there with lots of equipment. Anyone know what's going on?:confused:

[asianthree]

it must have been left, can't wonder how the post office would have brought it this far and then deemed

[pooh]

it must have been left, can't wonder how the post office would have brought it this far and then deemed

Might not have been a package brought to the station from the USPS, but might have been a package found outside of the postal station.....something left there.

[redwitch]

Talked to the mail clerk. She said she noticed the package and called it in. She also said that her co-worker thought there was no problem and that may be how it got so far -- only one person was suspicious enough to call it in. She was not allowed to say what the problem was, just that it was hazardous and very dangerous. (I don't know if the hazardous and dangerous was actually confirmed but she was pretty convincing.)

Since she is an independent contractor, she uses her own vehicle. The package was in her truck. She was not allowed to take her truck home. It is sitting there with the back end open.

As of 7:30 pm, everything was still taped off and a Postal Inspector and a couple of other guys were still walking around. Apparently, an investigation is still ongoing.

If you live in Winifred, you can get your mail at the Lady Lake Post Office tomorrow. They're hoping to have Winifred open by tomorrow or Wednesday, but no guarantees.

[pooh]

Thanks, Redwitch.

[Taltarzac725]

That's scary. Wonder if this was some personal issue with the mail deliver people in Winifred? Cannot see targeting a Villages' postal station as making some kind of political statement.

[redwitch]

Postal worker's theory was that it was probably an accident -- just didn't know it was hazardous or something like that. I'm really curious what the item was but she absolutely refused to say.

[graciegirl]

Postal worker's theory was that it was probably an accident -- just didn't know it was hazardous or something like that. I'm really curious what the item was but she absolutely refused to say.


I heard from an unreliable source that it was a cake made from white flour and refined sugar.

[mac9]

It was a bag of dog poo (yup, it's another dog poo thread).:wave:

[pooh]

I heard from an unreliable source that it was a cake made from white flour and refined sugar.
:icon_hungry:

[Nipper]

Official told us last evening it was a mercury spill. Must have been in a package.

[skyguy79]

I heard from an unreliable source that it was a cake made from white flour and refined sugar.Dang! They delivered my package to the wrong mail station again! :undecided:

[justjim]

Government entities and quasi government entities all over the Country are broke partly because of "over reaction" to every little thing that happens or doesn't happen. TSA is the prime example but other entities such as the USPS, EPA and School Districts are some others but the list goes on and on. "Better safe than sorry" is used to spend millions (actually billions) of taxpayer dollars unnecessarily.

[pooh]

Government entities and quasi government entities all over the Country are broke partly because of "over reaction" to every little thing that happens or doesn't happen. TSA is the prime example but other entities such as the USPS, EPA and School Districts are some others but the list goes on and on. "Better safe than sorry" is used to spend millions (actually billions) of taxpayer dollars unnecessarily.

True, but if it was indeed mercury, that's more than bothersome.

[Taltarzac725]

Official told us last evening it was a mercury spill. Must have been in a package.

Could just have been a package of the new light bulbs which have a very small amount of mercury in them. NEWMOA - Mercury Use in Lighting (http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/factsheets/lighting.cfm)

[pooh]

Could just have been a package of the new light bulbs which have a very small amount of mercury in them. NEWMOA - Mercury Use in Lighting (http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/factsheets/lighting.cfm)

Yes, it could have been that, also. Wonder if we'll ever find out for sure.....we who are curious, well........;)

[Bogie Shooter]

Yes, it could have been that, also. Wonder if we'll ever find out for sure.....we who are curious, well........;)

Nipper said, "Official told us last evening it was a mercury spill. Must have been in a package."
If "Officail" said it was mercury...........is that not for sure?

[pooh]

Nipper said, "Official told us last evening it was a mercury spill. Must have been in a package."
If "Officail" said it was mercury...........is that not for sure?

Okay, you got me.....I should have said, was it in a liquid state or from fluorescent lightbulbs. Spill doesn't necessarily imply liquid.

[Nipper]

The "official" was at the mail station behind the yellow tape with a clip board talking to another man. Apparently there were more people (including the mail sorter) meeting in the pool area regarding the matter. This was after 5 p.m.

I broke a Florissant light once and did not call anyone to put yellow tape around my house. Has anyone ever broken an old thermometer?
I don't know how we've managed to survive all these years.

[pooh]

Here's what happened??? ...from Sumter County Incident page....


HAZMAT
06/04/12 16:51 (THE VILLAGES - 800 TRS PS 7) SQUAD 51 ON SCENE MERCURY SPILL FROM OLD BP CUFF AT RESIDENCE LAKE COUNTY HAZMAT 76 CONTACTED [FLA074]

[CaptJohn]

Nipper said, "Official told us last evening it was a mercury spill. Must have been in a package."
If "Officail" said it was mercury...........is that not for sure?

Official news story: Dewey beats Truman.
Official word from Pres. Johnson: war is going well in Vietnam
Official word from Pres. Nixon: I am not a crook.
Official word from Pres. Clinton: I did not have sex with that woman.
Official word from Pres. Bush: There are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

If it's an official word from a government official then I start looking for the truth elsewhere.

For mercury, look no further than fillings in tooth cavities.

[Taltarzac725]

Official news story: Dewey beats Truman.
Official word from Pres. Johnson: war is going well in Vietnam
Official word from Pres. Nixon: I am not a crook.
Official word from Pres. Clinton: I did not have sex with that woman.
Official word from Pres. Bush: There are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

If it's an official word from a government official then I start looking for the truth elsewhere.

For mercury, look no further than fillings in tooth cavities.

Well, it all depends on the definitions. :laugh:


Guess the mercury was from a broken BP cuff-- Sphygmomanometer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphygmomanometer)

[skyking]

I can recall an experiment in high school chemistry when we coated pennies with mercury. I don't remember what that experiment was supposed to demonstrate but we all tried to pass them off as dimes in the cafeteria. (those lunch ladies were not amuzed)

Later when I was with the medical group our pediatric department often got a call from a frantic mother about her child who had bitten off the end of the thermometer and swallowed the mercury. The treatment? "Don't worry, let it pass."

Now we put up yellow tape and bring in the hazmat suits?? I suspect most villagers came in contact with mercury some time in their life - and survived!

[Trish Crocker]

I remember playing with the mercury from a broken thermometer...it was soo cool...the mercury would bead up in little balls...and I turned out normal....oh wait...wow..explains a lot doesn't it???