ELLENVILLE - At about 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, a call went to the Ellenville Police Department reporting that a white powder had been found in an envelope sent to the Wawarsing Town Hall on Canal Street. Moments later, the Ellenville PD had mobilized, and Canal Street was blocked off from foot and car traffic while Ellenville and Napanoch Fire Departments, Ellenville Rescue Squad, New York State Police, and the Kingston Hazmat Unit responded.

According to Town Clerk Jane Eck, Court Clerk Michelle Mainolfi (a former employee of the Shawangunk Journal) opened an envelope containing a traffic ticket which had been sent back to the court, when she was suddenly enveloped in a white powder with a sulfur-like smell. She immediately reported it to Eck downstairs, while another Town Hall employee called the State Police.

Soon, Canal Street was blocked off with emergency vehicles and caution tape, and an estimated six Town Hall employees, including Mainolfi, were quarantined inside. Town Councilperson John Gavaris, an EMT with the Ellenville Rescue Squad, was seen entering the building with a decontamination kit.

At one point, Mainolfi held up a sign in a window on the second floor of Town Hall to her coworkers on the street below which read, “I'm okay, I'm scared, I want my lunch,” which sent a brief wave of relief among those gathered around the building.

The Ulster County Hazmat Unit set up a decontamination shower, though when their shower's heater didn't work, the Ellenville Fire Department was able to provide them with a replacement.

At about 2:15 p.m., the victims still inside Town Hall were led through the assembly-line-like decontamination setup. Upon exiting the set-up, a rescue worker immediately wrapped each victim up in a towel and led them into the back of an Ellenville Rescue Squad Ambulance.

Mike Moschetta, Ellenville firefighter and President of Scoresby Hose, said that the Cragsmoor Fire Department came into the village and went on standby at Scoresby should a fire call come in while the Ellenville and Napanoch firefighters were on the scene on Canal Street.

As of 2:30 p.m., the road was still blocked off, with fire department volunteers directing traffic. Pedestrians have also been told not to enter the area.

Several other Town Hall workers left the building, though three of those workers were escorted by officers to the Ellenville Police Station down the street so they too could be decontaminated.

According to State Police Senior Investigator Stan O'Dell, the process to decontaminate the victims of the incident is different depending on every situation. As to the details regarding this particular decontamination, he was unable to provide specific information.

“Obviously they have to take any contaminants off the victims. It's a long process: [rescue workers are] going to take [the victims] down, decontaminate them, and then they have to go in and they have to test and see if they can determine that there's any harmful agents in the building,” he said.

“Right now, I'm standing around waiting for information, so I don't want to speculate, I don't want to tell you anything that's not accurate. Right now it's a lot of hurry up and wait until they're done doing what they do,” he said. “This could be hours.”

The Shawangunk Journal will continue to report on the situation as it develops.

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