Scary incident today -- UPDATED AT BOTTOM

So, at around 10 to 3 today, we get an announcement over the PA that we need to evacuate the building immediately. It was fairly urgent. They didn't tell us why, but we had to jet down 11 flights of stairs out to the street. I didn't stick around to find out what was going on or what the fuss was. I walked with my friend who is pregnant and took the bus with her up to her apartment. I then met Boosh and we came home. There were alot of people from my office and the building who stood out on the street and were looking up at the building. I figured that I'm not waiting to see if it blows up or not. Anyway, I found out that they let people back in a half hour later after I was on my way home. They were fine with me leaving as alot of others did as well. I just didn't see the point in sticking around. The rumor is that it was a suspicious package in the building

I guess this will be a way of life.

Yes, it seems to be the new way of life now, today my office sent us our 'disaster plan' Which I am a big part of since I am the only one that doesn't work in the office, reading it reminded me of Sept 11, and all the calls I got from people trying to find their love ones..

yep, it totally stinks

Well, we found out the cause, here's the email I just got

Today, August 17th, at 2:45pm a suspicious package was observed in front of 220 East 42nd Street and was reported to Security by an observant tenant. Security inspected the area and immediately called 911. The NYPD responded and after assessing the situation ordered a complete building evacuation.

After proper identification by the Bomb Squad, an all-clear was given to re-enter the building. The NYPD advised us that it was a suitcase containing personal effects.

We heard this on ch 11 last night

Glad everything turned out to be OK

It's good that people in your building are aware of their surroundings and doing something about it. I know it must have been very nerve racking yesterday as you wonder what's going on.

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Posted by ChristineC68

It's good that people in your building are aware of their surroundings and doing something about it. I know it must have been very nerve racking yesterday as you wonder what's going on.

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it was pretty bad

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Posted by don424

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Posted by ChristineC68

It's good that people in your building are aware of their surroundings and doing something about it. I know it must have been very nerve racking yesterday as you wonder what's going on.

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it was pretty bad

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I've been there, I know.

I am glad you are all ok.

i have to love people who said to me, 'did you ask someone if you could leave?'

yeah, and what happened to the people that asked the same thing on 9/11

Glad it turned out to be a false alarm and that you and your coworkers are ok, if not a little shaken.

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Posted by don424

i have to love people who said to me, 'did you ask someone if you could leave?'

yeah, and what happened to the people that asked the same thing on 9/11

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Wow Don, that is really scary. Something just like this happened at my building last year - there was an anthrax scare and they literally emptied the entire building out onto Broadway. It was early, so I was still on my way to work when I saw everyone standing outside - people were walking into the building in hazmat suits, and some of my coworkers were crying too, it was nuts. I find out that there is an antrax scare reported from the night before and no one is allowed in the building. We did the same thing as you - we just went home, bc not knowing what was happening yet, we all know that no job is worth that kind of risk! It was terrifying to think that I might have been exposed to this since I was in the building the night before at the time the call was placed!

So the next day we all stayed home since the Department of Health and some other place was doing testing. This happened on a Thursday, so we didn't go back until Monday. back at work, we finally recieved an update and it turns out that it was a hoax, that some kind of powder was detected in teh mailroom and after tests it was announced harmless... Well, can you guess how many people asked us that day 'Who told you it was okay to go home?' Yeah, there might be anthrax in the building, but stick around until we know for sure?!?!? You did the right thing by leaving, nothing is worth the risk to your own personal safety. Hope you don't have too many more of those 'drills' - they are scary and just exhausting!

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Posted by bluegrl24ny

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Posted by don424

i have to love people who said to me, 'did you ask someone if you could leave?'

yeah, and what happened to the people that asked the same thing on 9/11

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Wow Don, that is really scary. Something just like this happened at my building last year - there was an anthrax scare and they literally emptied the entire building out onto Broadway. It was early, so I was still on my way to work when I saw everyone standing outside - people were walking into the building in hazmat suits, and some of my coworkers were crying too, it was nuts. I find out that there is an antrax scare reported from the night before and no one is allowed in the building. We did the same thing as you - we just went home, bc not knowing what was happening yet, we all know that no job is worth that kind of risk! It was terrifying to think that I might have been exposed to this since I was in the building the night before at the time the call was placed!

So the next day we all stayed home since the Department of Health and some other place was doing testing. This happened on a Thursday, so we didn't go back until Monday. back at work, we finally recieved an update and it turns out that it was a hoax, that some kind of powder was detected in teh mailroom and after tests it was announced harmless... Well, can you guess how many people asked us that day 'Who told you it was okay to go home?' Yeah, there might be anthrax in the building, but stick around until we know for sure?!?!? You did the right thing by leaving, nothing is worth the risk to your own personal safety. Hope you don't have too many more of those 'drills' - they are scary and just exhausting!

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i'm sure this will happen again during the convention

Sorry to hear of your rough day yesterday, Don... I hate hearing stories like this, but as you said it truly is a 'way of life' for us NYers now.

I TOTALLY expect this to happen during the convention and am bracing myself for a bad commute in and out of GCT (though I'm sure not nearly as bad as Penn will be)

Happy to hear all is well, though .. but its rough

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Posted by FeliciaDA

Sorry to hear of your rough day yesterday, Don... I hate hearing stories like this, but as you said it truly is a 'way of life' for us NYers now.

I TOTALLY expect this to happen during the convention and am bracing myself for a bad commute in and out of GCT (though I'm sure not nearly as bad as Penn will be)

Happy to hear all is well, though .. but its rough

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yeah, i was shaking yesterday when i got out

i felt worse for my friend, she is 7 months preggo and was a little high strung, i stayed with her the whole time