Bomb threat evacuates bldg.

The Philadelphia Bomb Squad responded to a call of a suspicious package at 3401 Walnut Street yesterday afternoon, Philadelphia Bomb Squad Technician Pete King said. The package, which was imbedded with razor blades, was sent to a female University employee early yesterday afternoon, King said. University Police Chief George Clisby said the employee worked on the fifth floor of the building, where the University's human resources and business services department are located. The employee cut herself on the razor blades while opening the package at about 1:25 p.m. In addition to the Bomb Squad, Philadelphia and University Police, and Fire Rescue personnel responded to evacuate the building, which includes the Food Court. Authorities felt the building needed to be cleared in the event the package was an explosive device. King said that after the package was removed from the building, the Bomb Squad X-rayed it and determined there were "no explosives or other types of hazards." The woman who opened the package was treated for hand injuries at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, King said. Wharton senior Karen Klinger said the fire alarm was intentionally pulled in the building to facilitate evacuation. She said the evacuation proceeded smoothly. "Everyone was very, very calm and orderly," Klinger said. In addition to the evacuation of the building, the 3400 block of Walnut Street and 34th Street between Chestnut and Walnut streets were closed to vehicles for over two hours. King added that the incident will be investigated by Southwest Detectives. This is the second suspicious package received by a University employee this month, University Police Sergeant Mike Fink said last night. On January 7th, a package sent from Thailand that contained four vials of brown liquid was received in Room 435 at the Johnson Pavilion, Fink said. The package contained a message that claimed its contents were a cure for AIDS, he said. Fink added that the vials were destroyed by the University's Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

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