The Haverhill Fire Department was called to the courthouse Friday morning after a white powder substance was found. (WHAV News file photograph)
A hazardous materials crew was called to Ginty Boulevard’s Haverhill District Courthouse Friday morning just before 11 a.m. after court officers located an unidentified white powder in a jail cell.
Haverhill Fire Chief William F. Laliberty tells WHAV that through various testing, personnel determined there was an “elevated suspicion” the substance in question was fentanyl. The powder was neutralized and the cell area cleaned by a specialized cleaning crew before the area was put back in use.
The courthouse was not evacuated and the holding cell area was the only part of the building impacted, Laliberty said.