The September 11th attack
Bioterror fear grips Islands

By Scott Ishikawa and Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writers

Island residents and visitors responded with caution to news of anthrax-contaminated mail on the Mainland and terrorist-related biological and chemical threats, making at least 10 reports of suspicious packages and odors yesterday.

About 11:30 a.m. today white powder was found on the floor of the United Airlines ticket lobby at Honolulu International Airport, and was later also found on the floor of a men's bathroom in the interisland terminal, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali said. Emergency workers blocked off a third of the ticket lobby while they waited for state health investigators.

"They don't know what it is," said Kali. "They don't think it's probably anything major but at this point they're taking it seriously and proceeding to check everything out."

In Kaua'i, passengers on United Flight 31 from Los Angeles found white powder on their luggage after they arrived at Lihue Airport shortly before 8 p.m. last night, Kali said.

United representatives quarantined the baggage claim and ticket counter areas. The areas remained under quarantine today.

The plane had been scheduled to return to Los Angeles at 9:50 p.m. yesterday but the flight was canceled and rescheduled for this afternoon, Kali said.

In the meantime, environmental experts decontaminated the counter and baggage claim areas and prepared to decontaminate the plane, she said. The analysis was expected to take at least two days.

The Lihue Airport remained open and other flights were coming and going on schedule, Kali said.

Kaua'i police said the couple who reported the problem came out of Oregon. Their luggage was processed through Los Angeles, and the couple discovered the spot upon arriving in Kaua'i.

The couple notified airport officials, who reported the problem to police at about 8:30 p.m.

Hazardous materials teams were sent to the airport, and the airport was shut down.

Flights were stopped and authorities blocked entrances and exits, and state health officials were called to examine the substance and determine what further steps should be taken, police said.

Fire officials said the airport shuts down shortly after 9:30 p.m. under normal circumstances, and remains closed except for an early morning "bread flight" that arrives carrying newspapers and other daily supplies at about 4 a.m.

All other reports of suspicious packages and odors on O'ahu were investigated. None has turned out to be hazardous, although some objects are still being tested. They are also unrelated to the terrorist threats connected to Osama bin Laden and the cases of anthrax exposure discovered last week in Florida, New York and Nevada.

At about 7 p.m. yesterday firefighters were called to 1 Archer Lane, where a woman living on the 17th floor had discovered a powdery substance in a package she'd received in the mail.

Firefighters took the package to the health department laboratories for analysis, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Richard Soo. After several hours, it was found not to pose a danger.

Soo said the woman had taken the package down to the security desk on the first floor, and made several trips in the elevator while doing it.

The fire department worked into the night to isolate people who had used the elevator. People who were outside the building when the call came through were kept outside, and those inside the building were kept inside.

The offices of KITV, Channel 4 are housed within the building, and Soo said the news staffs there were also affected by the lockdown. Firefighters had also called the Red Cross to assist with food, temporary shelter and toilets.

The fire department recommends that those finding suspicious packages leave the packages where they find them, go into another room, call 911 and wait where they are until authorities arrive.

At 5:10 p.m. yesterday, fire crews were sent to retrieve a package from the AT&T Wireless office at Mililani Technology Park after an employee who opened the mail Friday became sick.

Authorities cordoned off the building last night until experts could examine the package.

In Lanikai yesterday, people inside a house at 229 Pauahilani Place and two adjacent houses were kept inside while fire crews checked a white powdery substance found inside a wrapped magazine.

A 63-year-old female housekeeper who discovered the magazine and the 43-year-old male homeowner were decontaminated at Castle Medical Center as a precaution. The magazine was taken to a lab for testing.

Two other suspicious packages reported in Salt Lake and Makakilo yesterday were eventually found to be safe.

Hazardous materials response teams investigated three calls yesterday reporting strange odors that turned out to be pesticides used in neighbors' yards.

Another six calls came in on Friday, starting as the day's mail was delivered. Fire and police officials moved from call to call, in some cases advising residents to stay in their homes until they arrived.

On Friday, fire, state health and FBI officials went to Shriners Hospital for Children when hospital employees received a "suspicious" package from the Middle East, police said. It contained a medical journal, and authorities found it was not hazardous.

Also on Friday, HPD's bomb squad shut down part of 'Iolani Street during afternoon rush hour after a resident received a suspicious package. It turned out to be gifts from a cousin living on the Mainland.

Calls regarding similar types of incidents jumped dramatically since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Soo said. He said the department's two "hazmat" teams responded to 17 calls between Sept. 11 and Oct. 11. In comparison, hazmat teams responded to nine calls between Sept. 11, 2000 and Sept. 11 of this year.

Despite the increased workload, residents are still advised to keep an eye out for suspicious mail. Honolulu Fire Chief Attilio Leonardi is considering adding extra manpower or splitting up the hazmat teams to handle the increased load, Soo said.

In the meantime, Soo is asking residents to be aware of their surroundings before calling about strange odors.

"Check to see if your neighbors regularly use pesticide or tick spray in their yards," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.