Panic sets in as smelly army package with chemical is mistaken for explosives

Au00a0parcel unloaded by the Railway Mail Service (RMS) at the station was the cause of some anxious moments yesterday morning. A strong odour emanating from it made people think it contained explosives.

Seventeen members of the RMS staff stood on high alert till the fire brigade arrived and shifted the suspicious package, which bore an 'Army' stamp. The parcel was addressed to the Military Hospital in Khadki.

At 10.30 am, RMS staff noticed a strong smell of chemicals rising from the parcel, causing breathlessness and a burning sensation. The fire brigade was called in.

"The suspicious bag was taken to an isolated place. The chemical spilt over on to the ground but was soaked immediately. The chemical was formaldehyde, which is used to preserve dead bodies," Station Duty Officer Vijay Bhilare said. "We believe the container that held the chemical could have been partly damaged, leading to the strong odour."

Jamil Yousf Bhalkar, a supervisor working with RMS, said, "The incident took place at 10.30 am. Once the parcel was taken out, there was a strong stench and the employees started coughing and experiencing breathlessness. As it could have been a bomb, we alerted higher authorities."