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Miramar Woman Treated After Finding Unknown Substance In Letter

MIRAMAR (CBS4) - Excitement in a Miramar housing development Friday evening as fire trucks and police cars lined the streets.

"It's a community of 322 homes," said Silver Isles HOA member Bill Boga. "Single family homes and seldom have any problems so I'm not sure what's going on here."

The whole thing started around four o clock according to Richard Daniel.  He was washing his car when heard the commotion.

"I just saw a lot of excitement going on this side of the house and she just started screaming.  She said there was a package, we are not sure what it was, something blew out of the package and went in her face.  She went to the ground," said Daniel.

A neighbor dialed 911.

"She just passed out," said Daniel.

"On the ground?" asked CBS4's David Sutta.

"Yeah, yeah," said Daniel.

Authorities quickly roped off the area, unsure just what they were dealing with.

"She just came across a piece a mail.  It wasn't addressed to her.  It was addressed to her husband.  And she opened it something was seeping out," said USPS Inspector Ivan Ramirez.

A hazmat team from Sunrise was brought in to check into it.  The woman placed in ambulance awaiting word.

A few hours later they determined whatever it was - it was not harmful.  But it could be criminal.

"You don't have to actually be successful in anything criminal or causing harm to anyone.  Just the mere panic attack that this woman was going through because she didn't know what she received.  Imagine she was thinking automatically what's the worst that you have heard of? Ricin," said Inspector Ramirez.

As the woman walked back in her home, declining to speak to the media, Daniel thought the whole things was ironic.

"Right after the 4th. Boom!" said Daniel.

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