Suspected cocaine in mail brings hazmat team to Peoples Gas building on Pittsburgh's North Shore

Hazmat was called to the Peoples Gas building on Pittsburgh's North Shore after an employee opened a piece of mail containing what appeared to be cocaine on Wednesday, officials said. 

Pittsburgh Public Safety said firefighters and a hazmat team were called to the building on North Shore Drive just after 3 p.m. after an employee opened mail that had a small amount of white powder inside a plastic bag enclosed in an envelope.

The hazmat team tested the substance, and authorities said it appears to be cocaine. Pittsburgh police will investigate.  

No one was evacuated from the building, but Pittsburgh Public Safety said people did shelter in place. 

Anyone who came in contact with the suspected cocaine was checked by EMS, and they were all fine, Pittsburgh Public Safety said. 

In a statement, a spokesperson for Peoples Gas said after finding the unknown substance, staff immediately initiated emergency response procedures and notified authorities. Investigators eventually determined the substance wasn't dangerous and cleared the building to return to normal operations, the spokesperson said. 

No other information was immediately released on Wednesday evening.