NH fed building evacuated in hazmat response out of ‘caution’

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The U.S. District Court building in Concord was evacuated Tuesday morning because of a possibly hazardous substance, but preliminary testing suggested that it wasn’t hazardous, an FBI spokesperson said.

The agency, along with New Hampshire State Police, the fire marshal’s office, and other federal, state and local agencies went to the building at about 8 a.m. in response to “an unattended item with an unknown substance that warranted a hazmat response in an abundance of caution,” Kristen Setera of the FBI said in a statement.

She said while the investigation is ongoing, “there is not believed to be any associated threat to public safety at this time.”

The Concord School District put out an announcement that courthouse staff and visitors were evacuated to the Christa McAuliffe School gymnasium nearby.