An envelope received in the mailroom at Powder River Correctional Facility in Baker City Wednesday morning, Nov. 1, contained a suspicious white powder that was not dangerous, although officials don’t yet know what the substance is.

“The powder tested benign; it was inert,” Baker City Fire Chief Todd Jaynes said on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Staff at the minimum-security prison at 3600 13th St. did preliminary tests for drugs and anthrax, all of which were negative, Jaynes said.

“We bagged it as evidence and the postmaster was contacted,” Jaynes said. “We sent it off to the lab to figure out what it was.”

An employee in the mailroom opened the letter around 10:20 a.m. Wednesday and immediately notified another staff member, said Debi Geddes, public information officer at the prison.

Powder River followed its emergency protocols, which include evacuating the administrative services area, which includes the mailroom, Geddes said.

The area has a separate air-handling system, she said.

Jaynes said workers from the fire department and Metro West ambulance responded wearing protective suits. He said the room was cleaned with hoses after the mailroom was cleared.

The 300 or so inmates stayed in their dorm areas during the incident, which lasted about two hours and delayed lunch service and some other activities.

Jaynes said he’s heard of similar threats at other prisons.

Geddes praised the response from the fire department, Metro West and Baker County emergency management.

“Our local emergency partners were amazing and remained here the entire time, the Powder River staff were incredible, and everybody just stepped up and did what needed to be done,” Geddes said.

Geddes said the letter had a return address and was addressed to an inmate, whom she didn’t name. She said the envelope contained a letter, but that it did not mention any threat. She declined to give any details about the return address.