The University of Alabama Police Department and Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue were called to Rose Administration Building around 4:30 p.m. Monday when a University employee suffered a stinging sensation on her hand after opening an envelope with an unusual odor, according to Chris Bryant, assistant director of media relations. A further examination of the envelope later that night found it to be a normal package and no further cause for concern.

The International Admissions office was evacuated after emergency services were contacted, Bryant said. However, Deborah Lane, associate vice president for university relations, said no one evacuated from the building.

Fire and Rescue servicemen donned hazmat suits to remove the suspicious envelope, and emergency vehicle lights could be seen flashing outside Rose Administration Building at least an hour and a half after the incident.

“An employee in the international admissions office opened an envelope, and it had a rather pungent smell,” Lane said. “She reached in and pulled it out, felt a little itchy. So out of an abundance of caution, they called UAPD and, following our typical procedure, Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue was called, they removed the substance, and that’s about what happened.

“The hazmat people take substances like that, remove them from the room, and then they’ll do some testing on it.”

Lane said the employee, whose name was not released, was not taken to the hospital and most likely went home since it was the end of the work day.

“The employee is fine,” Bryant said. “No one was taken to the hospital, and no one was injured.”

Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue employees declined to comment on the incident, deferring to University media relations.

Bryant said it is not unusual for this office to receive envelopes from all over the world.

“We’re just being abundantly careful, which you have to be these days sadly,” Lane said.