Four Facebook Buildings Evacuated After Sarin Scare

At least four buildings on Facebook’s campus in Menlo Park in the US were evacuated on Monday after a package at the social media company’s mail facility tested positive for the nerve agent sarin, Reuters reported.

A Menlo Park fire department official said that incoming mail that went through routine processing by machines tested positive for sarin, but that there were no reports of injuries at the site. “Right now we don’t have anybody that has any symptoms. We’re just doing verification,” the official said.

Sarin is a chemical warfare agent that is colourless, odourless, and tasteless. It evaporates into the environment and prompts symptoms within seconds. Exposure to large doses may result in paralysis and respiratory failure.

The official informed that the Facebook facility tests all incoming packages and initiated standard protocol after a package tested positive for sarin.

A Facebook spokesperson said the company evacuated four buildings following the positive test. “Authorities have not yet identified the substance found,” Harrison said. “As of now, three of the evacuated buildings have been cleared for re-population.”