US News
US Senate building cleared after alarm
By DPA
Feb 9, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - A US Senate office building was evacuated Wednesday evening after alarms sounded indicating the presence of a biological agent, news reports said.

Eight senators and about 200 staff members evacuated the Senate Russell office building and were ordered to wait in a parking garage because they may have been exposed to biological agent, CNN reported.

The evacuation occurred after suspicious powder was found in an attic of the building, Fox News reported.

An initial test on the material came back positive for possible nerve agent, the communications director for Senator John McCain said in an interview broadcast on CNN.

McCain's spokeswoman said the alarm went off shortly after 7 p.m. (0000 GMT) and everyone was told urgently to leave the building.

A hazardous material team has been sent to the office building, and the Washington field office of the FBI has been alerted, the network reported.