CORNWALL – Authorities cordoned off an area around a frozen yogurt dessert shop late Thursday afternoon after a report of a suspicious package inside the store.
Cornwall firefighters and police were called to Menchie’s at 525 Ninth Street East shortly before 4 p.m.
“It (the package) was found in some materials that were shipped to the business that the business (owner) did not recognize. All were doing now is looking at that substance is to make sure it’s not anything that would be hazardous,” Sgt. Dave MacLean told Cornwall Newswatch.
The package, described as a bag within a box, was not any kind of explosive, he said.
“There was one employee (the owner) and one patron. The employee’s (owner’s) contact was extremely limited and she had already used precautions. Nothing was opened. It’s completely contained at this point,” MacLean said.
“They didn’t recognize the package and actually they did the right thing and called us,” the sergeant added.
The fire department later brought in equipment to test for radioactivity and shortly after the containment area was lifted.
“I was a regular shipment from a company and there was something in the box that didn’t belong there,” store owner Jennifer Jurchuk told Cornwall Newswatch.
On the advice of police, in order to protect their investigation, Jurchuk declined to elaborate on what she had discovered before police arrived.
But she was very upset at what she found in the box and was thinking one thing – “this doesn’t belong here…I’ve gotta call the cops.”
The store opened for business shortly after police wrapped up their investigation at the scene.
The package and its contents was put in evidence bags and will be sent to the Health Canada for further testing.
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