Louisiana State Troopers ill After Suspicious Box- East Jefferson Hospital Closed Down (Updated)

This might be big. More when I get a news link. HAZMAT is on the scene

The basic synopsis is that during a "routine traffic stop," state troopers note a suspicious box in the back of a semi. 8 state troopers and 5 drug officials arrive on the scene and begin field tests. Mid tests they all begin to feel ill.

Update WDSU has vids up

METAIRIE, La. -- Thirteen law enforcement officials from several agencies were sickened by a suspicious substance they discovered in a package they believed to be drugs, a sheriff's spokesman said.


13 Officers Sickened By Suspicious Substance
Hazmat crews respond to East Jefferson General Hospital.
Louisiana State Police made a traffic stop on Interstate 10 and found what was believed to be cocaine, according to Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department Col. Johnny Fortunato. As they began doing tests on the package, several of the agents began feeling ill and had to be taken to East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie.
Officials told WDSU that eight state troopers and five narcotics agents were sickened. Narcotics officers from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department, along with officers from the Drug Enforcement Agency and Louisiana State Police were affected, Fortunato said.
Hazmat crews have responded both to the hospital and to the Louisiana State Police offices in Kenner in order to secure the scenes, according to the Jefferson Parish Fire Department.
Hospital officials were urging patients not to come to East Jefferson until the scene can be cleared

Update II-
From the Picayune
Eighteen officers sickened after exposure to unknown substance during traffic stop; East Jefferson General Hopstial emergency room shut down until substance can be identified


The emergency room at East Jefferson General Hospital has been closed as a precaution, as 18 police officers are being treated of exposure to an unknown chemical that occurred during a search of a tractor trailer early this morning, authorities said.
Kevin Harrison, assistant special agent in charge for the DEA office in New Orleans said State Police stopped a tractor trailer with two people in it somewhere in St. John about 5 a.m.
The DEA was called after that stop and agents directed the tractor trailer to Troop B State Police headquarters off the interstate in Kenner.
Officers from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, DEA and State Police went into the back of the tractor trailer, which was carrying a load of produce, Harrison said.
The officers also discovered a number of wrapped packages in kilo sizes - a little more than 3 pounds - which is often how some drugs are packaged. Officers began to perform field tests on one of the packages, which came back with a faint trace of cocaine, Harrison.
In the process, the officers began to feel nauseous and 18 of them were transported to East Jefferson Hosptial emergency room. JPSO spokesman Col. John Fortunato said the offices are being treated in a decontamination unit set up in the hospital parking garage. Some are recovering well, while others are still feeling woozy, Fortunato said.
The hostpial shut down the emergency room and began directing patients to other hospitals, and then set up the contamination unit in the parking garage. The emergency will remain closed until the officials know exactly what is in the tractor-trailer.
Meanwhile, a JPSO hazardous materials unit was at the scene about 11 a.m. to perform a more detailed sample of the kilo packages in the truck. If the test indicates the substance is safe, the emergency room will be reopened, officials said.