by railtrailbiker
It was a frightening scene when armed members of the National Guard joined Putnam County Sheriff's Department personnel, MTA Police, Brewster firefighters and the Putnam County Hazardous Materials Team at the Southeast Railroad Station.
A conductor on a southbound train bound for Grand Central Station found four vials of a clear liquid in one of the cars during last week's rush hour. The railroad employee removed the suspicious substance and placed it in the parking lot before notifying a passing MTA cop.
Metro North Police and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority immediately notified the National Guard that had moved into the Brewster North Railroad yards as a precaution in the wake of the increased terror alert resulting from last week's GOP National Convention at Madison Square Garden.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Department was also contacted along with the Brewster State Police, Brewster Fire Department and the Putnam County Hazardous Materials Team.
After police cordoned off the area, specially trained volunteer members of the Haz Mat Team evaluated the specimen size containers and packed them. They were sent to a state police lab for analysis.
Sheriff's Department Chief Investigator A. Gerald Schramek said the train was stopped before it entered Grand Central Station and was completely searched with nothing suspicious being found on board.
No injuries were reported.
Putnam Deputy Emergency Coordinator Rick Reuther assisted at the scene along with Brewster Fire Chief Warren Paukner.
A section of the parking lot at the Southeast Station was reopened to the public 90 minutes after the suspicious vials were found.
http://www.midhudsoncentral.com/site/ne ... 2445&rfi=6
A conductor on a southbound train bound for Grand Central Station found four vials of a clear liquid in one of the cars during last week's rush hour. The railroad employee removed the suspicious substance and placed it in the parking lot before notifying a passing MTA cop.
Metro North Police and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority immediately notified the National Guard that had moved into the Brewster North Railroad yards as a precaution in the wake of the increased terror alert resulting from last week's GOP National Convention at Madison Square Garden.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Department was also contacted along with the Brewster State Police, Brewster Fire Department and the Putnam County Hazardous Materials Team.
After police cordoned off the area, specially trained volunteer members of the Haz Mat Team evaluated the specimen size containers and packed them. They were sent to a state police lab for analysis.
Sheriff's Department Chief Investigator A. Gerald Schramek said the train was stopped before it entered Grand Central Station and was completely searched with nothing suspicious being found on board.
No injuries were reported.
Putnam Deputy Emergency Coordinator Rick Reuther assisted at the scene along with Brewster Fire Chief Warren Paukner.
A section of the parking lot at the Southeast Station was reopened to the public 90 minutes after the suspicious vials were found.
http://www.midhudsoncentral.com/site/ne ... 2445&rfi=6
