PENROSE, Colorado USA — A white powdery substance sent two people to the hospital and caused a possible hazardous materials scare at the Estes-Cox Corp. model rocket plant Tuesday.

Penrose Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Calvin Sundermann said his crew was dispatched shortly after 3 p.m. on a report of a possible hazardous materials situation at the model rocket plant.

Members of the Canon City Fire District and Colorado State Patrol Hazardous Materials teams go through decontamination after collecting a suspicious white powdery substance at the Estes-Cox Corp. model rocket plant in Penrose Tuesday night. Photo: T. Harmon.

"A shipment of rocket parts from China had a white powdery substance on a box," Sundermann said. "Two male employees who had the most exposure because they were unloading the truck felt ill and as a precaution were taken to the hospital."

Those two employees were treated and released from St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, according to hospital spokesperson Jennifer Kemp.

Also called to the scene were the Colorado State Patrol and Canon City Fire Department Hazardous Materials teams. The materials experts decided to suit up six team members in full protective gear to collect the powder which was secured by about 8:30 p.m.

Testing of the powder was planned both on-site and in Pueblo. Results of the tests were not available by press time.

All employees in the building with the boxes, about 20 workers, were placed on a lock down situation pending the collection. After collection of the powder, the teams planned to put each employee through the decontamination procedure in the plant parking lot as a precaution and expected to have everyone released by 11 p.m.

"The company usually receives five shipments like that a week and they have never been an issue. The rocket parts are locked and sealed in the boxes and the seal was not broken," Sundermann said.

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