Emergency crews wear hazmat suits to deal with suspicious item

RCMP and firefighters were taking no chances with a suspicious package found in Kelowna’s Rutland area.

A concerned resident turned the package over to police on Tuesday, March 19, saying it was unexpected and came from out of the country.

Police consulted with several specialized agencies including the Kelowna Fire Department to safely examine the parcel and its contents.

“A unified decision was made to treat the package as hazardous until further analysis could be made,” RCMP Cpl. Michael Gauthier said.

RCMP and fire department members wore hazmat suits while analyzing the item and cordoned off some areas.

“The package was eventually confirmed safe and seized for further analysis by the RCMP,” Gauthier said.