ISTANBUL
Turkish emergency services were called to the Hungarian Consulate in Istanbul on Monday morning as reports emerged of a suspicious letter containing yellow powder having been opened in the building.
An Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene reports that the consulate building was evacuated and six people -- one man and five women -- were taken to Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Hospital.
There are no immediate reports of any injuries.
The city’s provincial governorate confirmed that a team from the Turkish AFAD emergency response agency was sent to the consulate in the Levent district of Istanbul, a commercial center.
Today’s alert brings to six the number of Western consulates which have received suspicious items containing an unidentified yellow substance.
Toxicology test results from five other consulates Friday are expected today in Ankara.
It is thought that today’s letter had arrived Friday -- included in the original wave of suspicious packages -- but had lain unopened until this morning. The consulate was closed Thursday and Friday for a Hungarian national holiday.
Letters containing a yellow substance were delivered to the Canadian, German, Belgian, French and American consulates on Friday, sparking fears of a chemical attack.
Twenty-five staff members from the various consulates were hospitalized for observation.
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