Workers Upset With Post Office Following Incendiary Letter Incidents

WUSA-TV9, in Washington, D.C. reports post office employees were upset after it supposedly took 45 minutes before police stepped in and evacuated the building Friday after a package addressed to Department of Homeland Security head Janet Napolitano ignited.

According to a separate article appearing on the Right Perspective website, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier told The Associated Press the package (which was similiar to the one shown above sent to Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley) began popping and flashing before shooting out “a brief flash of fire.” The parcel then extinguished itself without hurting any postal employees.

However, Dena Briscoe, President of Local 140 of the Postal Workers Union, is quoted in the WUSA - TV9 piece by Lindsey Mastis as saying managers had failed to follow worker safety protocols .

Postal worker James Pickett is also quoted.

He said, "We handle the mail, we shake it up, and if something goes off, we're the guinea pigs. The post office has the mentality of somebody has to die it seems, or be seriously injured, before they'll evacuate a building."

Lindsey asked officials at the Post Office why it took so long to evacuate the building, and whether protocol was followed. A Post Office spokeswoman released the following statement in response: "The Postal Service goal has always been to keep employees safe--to keep customers safe and to keep the U.S. Mail safe."

To read the entire article and watch a video, click here.