Three people are facing charges after several suspicious envelopes dropped off at numerous spots across Saskatoon prompted a large-scale emergency response Tuesday afternoon.
Saskatoon police say the three — two women and a man — are charged with five counts each of public mischief, mischief and uttering threats to cause bodily harm in connection to the reports, which saw police and fire crews close off several sections of the city.
The first report came in just before 12:30 p.m. An envelope containing what has since been identified as baking soda was dropped off at Cut Casual Steak and Tap.
The next four calls — one at the Saskatoon Square building on the 400 block of 22nd Street East, one at the Sandman Hotel on the 300 block of Circle Drive North, one at the Country Inn and Suites on the 600 block of Cynthia Street and the last at an office building at 211 Fourth Avenue South — all occurred within two hours.
Over 60 emergency workers responded, according to the Saskatoon Fire Department.
Hazmat teams, a decontamination unit and environment ministry workers were all sent to the scenes. The substances were initially all unidentified.
“Whether it’s a malicious call or not, we can’t take that into account,” fire Chief Morgan Hackl said. “We have to take the due course and take it seriously.”
The substances found at four of the five locations have since been tested and identified as baking soda, according to both police and the fire department. The fifth substance was talcum powder.
“All this stuff happened within two hours,” Saskatoon Police Insp. Lorne Constantinoff said prior to the three arrests.
“Our primary concern initially was public safety, so we wanted to make sure any potential hazardous materials were dealt with in a proper way, and then the investigation is secondary.”
The samples collected are now being sent to a lab in Winnipeg for final testing.
All traffic restrictions at the five locations were lifted before 8 p.m.
No one was injured during the incidents.
Saskatoon police sent out a photo early Tuesday afternoon of a man Constantinoff said was involved in delivering the packages, but the service has not yet clarified whether the man is one of the three people facing charges.
