2nd suspicious substance this week shuts prison mail room

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon State Penitentiary mail room in Salem was evacuated Friday after workers found an envelope with an unknown substance, the second such incident at a state prison this week.

The Oregon Department of Corrections says workers reported receiving the envelope at about 11:15 a.m. Friday. Officials say the mail room, which is in a small building outside the main prison, was secured and evacuated.

One mail room employee was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Oregon State Police and Salem firefighters cleared the building as safe to return to work.

On Wednesday, about two dozen workers at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility were evacuated after a mail room employee discovered an envelope containing a powdery substance.

Four of those employees were decontaminated and taken to a hospital.

Officials say that incident remains under criminal investigation.

They also say at this time, the two incidents do not appear to be related.