Joe Biden's brother gets powder scare, The brother of Vice President Joe Biden says he was hospitalized overnight after a opening a package with an unknown powdery substance.Francis Biden, 57, who lives in Ocean Ridge, Fla., told The Palm Beach Post that some of the white powder landed on his skin, so he called authorities who evacuated neighbors and closed off the street.

“I was the only one who came in contact with the powder so they kept me,” he said. “I’m fine.”

Remember that South Florida was one of the sites of the anthrax attacks of a decade ago. Joe Biden's brother gets powder scare,

OCEAN RIDGE — The envelope mailed to the Ocean Ridge home of Vice President Joe Biden’s younger brother, which contained a suspicious white powder and caused a hazmat emergency Saturday, was apparently mailed from India.

Francis Biden, 57, said the package — a manila envelope — was retrieved from his roadside mailbox at about noon by his girlfriend, Mindy. It was addressed to him.

“She retrieved it, but I was the one who opened it,” Biden said. “It was mailed from India.”

Biden said the moment he opened it a white powder spilled from the envelope and onto his skin. He said he immediately called authorities, who evacuated neighbors from the immediate area and closed off the street for eight hours.

Biden and his girlfriend were taken to Bethesda Hospital. Mindy was released Saturday but Biden stayed overnight.

“I was the only one who came in contact with the powder so they kept me,” he said. He was released Sunday morning.

“I’m fine,” he said. He praised police, fire rescue and hospital officials.

The FBI announced Saturday that the powder appeared to be harmless.

Biden would not say what else was in the envelope along with the powder and referred questions to the FBI. He said he knew nothing more about the origins of the package. Joe Biden's brother gets powder scare

Source: USATODAY.com