Last updated Jan. 2 at 3:07 p.m.
Evanston Fire Department and Evanston Police Department responded to a hazmat incident at Greenwood Care, located at 1406 Chicago Ave., on Friday. A female resident at the mental health facility ingested an unknown powdered substance, according to a Greenwood Care spokesperson.
EPD wrote that Chicago Avenue was closed between Dempster Street and Lake Street in a 10:39 a.m. X post. The department posted again at 11:29 a.m., citing “an isolated hazmat incident” requiring fire department rigs. EPD wrote that there was no threat to the public.
Police later posted on X at 12:23 p.m. that the street had been reopened.
A Greenwood Care spokesperson said a resident brought “an unknown white substance” into the residential mental health facility and ingested it. Around 10 a.m., Greenwood Care called Evanston emergency services to assist the resident, who EFD paramedics found “conscious but with altered mental status,” according to an EPD news release.
EFD personnel discovered “a suspicious substance in the resident’s room,” according to the news release. EFD then called in hazmat personnel to investigate the situation.
The news release said evidence technicians collected the substance to be sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for narcotics analysis.
The resident was transported to the hospital for monitoring, according to the Greenwood Care spokesperson and the news release.
There was no threat to other residents, and residents were not evacuated from the facility, the spokesperson said.
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