Suspicious package found at an O’Reilly store in Calexico
Dillon Fuhrman
UPDATE (1:20 PM): The Calexico Fire Department (CFD) has identified a substance found inside the package.
Employees at this “O’Reilly’s auto parts” automatically thought it was suspicious due to not having a return address or label.
The substance was identified as sodium bisulfate, which makes people itchy and causes redness, CFD says.
“The police chief called and said our units responded to an unusual substance package at O’reillys,” said Juan Contreras, Calexico’s interim fire chief.
Calexico fire along with Imperial County fire and the El Centro fire department quickly removed the package from inside the store.
The Calexico interim fire chief says it was a small package similar to an envelope and inside they found a green substance.
“Hazmat team went inside and removed the package after going through proper operations… The hazmat team also tested the substance being sodium bisulfate which is a common product… household products that do have one of those properties that cause redness and itchiness,” said Contreras.
CFD says three people, including a police officer, touched the substance and started to get itchy.
“Upon opening the package the store manager started getting redness to her hands and itchiness and that is when the concern came about but it was a two by two package,” said interim fire chief Contreras.
They also said they were able to track the address on the bag back to an abandoned house in Arizona.
UPDATE (12:26 PM): Karina Bazarte is live to provide updates regarding the activity at the O’Reilly store in Calexico.
UPDATE (12:02 PM): According to Calexico Fire Department, the suspicious package had no returning address.
CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – There is activity happening at an O’Reilly store in Calexico late Tuesday morning.
According to the Calexico Fire Department (CFD), there’s a suspicious package inside the O’Reilly store located in the area of Imperial Avenue and Fourth Street.
CFD says they are still analyzing the package and have closed off Imperial Avenue and Fourth Street as a result.
The Imperial County Fire Department, the Calexico Police Department and the El Centro Fire Department responded to aid CFD.
KYMA will have more information on this developing story.