Facebook mailing facility in Menlo Park evacuates due to possible sarin in package

Evacuations were ordered at a Facebook mailing facility near the main headquarters in Menlo Park Monday, July 1, 2019. Evacuations were ordered at a Facebook mailing facility near the main headquarters in Menlo Park Monday, July 1, 2019. Photo: Peter Grieve Photo: Peter Grieve Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Facebook mailing facility in Menlo Park evacuates due to possible sarin in package 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Story updated at 6:30 a.m. on July 2: "At approximately 11:00 AM PDT on July 1, 2019, mail delivered to one of our mail rooms in Menlo Park was deemed suspicious. As part of Facebook's routine mail security screening process, we identified a potentially dangerous substance. Out of an abundance of caution, we evacuated four nearby buildings and began a thorough investigation in coordination with local authorities. Authorities have confirmed test results were negative for any potentially dangerous substance and the buildings have been cleared for repopulation. Our rigorous security and safety procedures worked as intended to limit exposure and keep our people safe," Anthony Harrison, Facebook spokesperson.

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Evacuations were ordered at a Facebook mailing facility near the main headquarters in Menlo Park Monday.

Local authorities are on the scene investigating whether a suspicious package contains sarin, Menlo Park Fire Marshal Jon Johnston said. The evacuation was prompted by a machine at the mail facility which indicated the possible presence of sarin. The evacuation first occurred at 11 a.m.

The Menlo Park Fire District says there are no reports of injury at this time.

The incident led to evacuations at four buildings in the Willow Village development; the number of people impacted is unknown.

"Authorities have not yet identified the substance found," Facebook spokesperson Anthony Harrison told SFGATE. "As of now, three of the evacuated buildings have been cleared for repopulation. The safety of our employees is our top priority and we will share additional information when it is available."

Sarin "is a human-made chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents."

SFGATE will update the story as more details become available.

This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. to include the latest details on the story.

Amy Graff is a news producer at SFGATE. Reach her by email at agraff@sfgate.com.