A federal building in Lower Manhattan was evacuated Thursday afternoon after envelopes containing a white powder were discovered on the same floor as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices, according to city officials.
The FDNY said it received a call about the substance at 26 Federal Plaza around 3:55 p.m., and that it was found on the building’s ninth floor. The building was evacuated and hazmat teams were dispatched, authorities said.
No injuries or illnesses have been reported.
Mayor Eric Adams posted on X that the envelopes containing the powder were discovered earlier in the day.
“I want to also reassure you that there are no known injuries at this time,” he said.
Adams said the city is awaiting test results from federal partners and FDNY hazmat crews were “on the ground to ensure the safety of everyone inside and outside of the building.”
Kaz Daughtry, the city’s deputy mayor for public safety, said in a post that he had personally briefed Adams and Deputy Mayor for Administration Camille Joseph Varlack on the incident.
The NYPD described the situation as “an ongoing possible hazmat incident” and said officers remain on the scene alongside FDNY crews as the investigation continues.
The floor above ICE’s offices, the building’s tenth floor, is currently being used as a processing and holding facility for migrants.
A class action lawsuit filed last week alleges that people held there are living in inhumane conditions, including “sleeping on the concrete floor next to the toilet, in cells that are either freezing or oppressively hot.”
City officials have urged people to avoid the area and expect increased police presence and temporary street closures.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
