{
  "id": "2026-04-02-university-of-washington-denny-hall-white-powder-hazmat",
  "slug": "university-of-washington-denny-hall-white-powder-hazmat-2026-04-02",
  "institution": {
    "name": "University of Washington",
    "shortName": "UW",
    "state": "WA",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "UW Alert",
    "enrollment": 60000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2026-04-02",
    "type": "hazmat",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "unfounded",
    "headline": "Unknown white powder on Denny Hall third floor prompts hazmat response",
    "headlinePublic": "Unknown white powder on Denny Hall third floor prompts hazmat response",
    "summary": "On April 2, 2026, the [UW Alert Blog](https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/) posted a sequence of updates as Seattle Fire Department responded to an unknown white powder on the third floor of Denny Hall, including evacuation of the room, third-floor shelter-in-place, and later confirmation the powder was a non-harmful desiccant.",
    "outcome": "Powder identified as desiccant; building reopened."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2026-04-02T09:34:00-07:00",
      "channel": "multi-channel",
      "verbatimText": "9:34 a.m. – The Seattle Fire Department is responding to a report of an unknown white powder on the third floor of Denny Hall. Avoid the area and follow the directions of firefighters at the scene. More information will be posted as it becomes available.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/",
      "sourceDescription": "UW Alert Blog (official emergency.uw.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Timestamped blog updates mirror UW multi-channel alert language"
      ],
      "characterCount": 254
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2026-04-02T09:37:00-07:00",
      "channel": "multi-channel",
      "verbatimText": "UPDATE at 9:37 a.m.: No reports of any injuries or symptoms at this time, according to the Seattle Fire Department.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/",
      "sourceDescription": "UW Alert Blog (official emergency.uw.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Timestamped blog update recovered from official UW Alert Blog sequence (alert type: update)."
      ],
      "characterCount": 115
    },
    {
      "sequence": 3,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2026-04-02T09:43:00-07:00",
      "channel": "multi-channel",
      "verbatimText": "UPDATE at 9:43 a.m.: The room has been evacuated. The third floor is sheltering in place.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/",
      "sourceDescription": "UW Alert Blog (official emergency.uw.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Timestamped blog update recovered from official UW Alert Blog sequence (alert type: update)."
      ],
      "characterCount": 89
    },
    {
      "sequence": 4,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2026-04-02T09:54:00-07:00",
      "channel": "multi-channel",
      "verbatimText": "UPDATE at 9:54 a.m.: Seattle firefighters are continuing to respond. Avoid the area and follow the directions of firefighters at the scene.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/",
      "sourceDescription": "UW Alert Blog (official emergency.uw.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Timestamped blog update recovered from official UW Alert Blog sequence (alert type: update)."
      ],
      "characterCount": 139
    },
    {
      "sequence": 5,
      "type": "all-clear",
      "timestamp": "2026-04-02T10:23:00-07:00",
      "channel": "multi-channel",
      "verbatimText": "UPDATE at 10:23 a.m.: Seattle Fire Department tests indicate the the white powder was a desiccant, a drying agent often used in packaging. It is not harmful and is being removed. The building is reopening.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/",
      "sourceDescription": "UW Alert Blog (official emergency.uw.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Double 'the the' preserved from official blog text"
      ],
      "characterCount": 205
    }
  ],
  "context": "The University of Washington posts incident updates on the official [UW Alert Blog](https://emergency.uw.edu/). The April 2, 2026 Denny Hall white-powder response is recovered as a five-message sequence from that blog.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Full timestamped update sequence from official UW Alert Blog",
    "Powder cleared as desiccant; building reopened"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Hazardous materials response at Denny Hall (UW Alert Blog)",
      "url": "https://emergency.uw.edu/2026/04/02/hazardous-materials-response-at-denny-hall/",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-07-21"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "hazmat",
    "denny-hall",
    "uw-alert",
    "washington",
    "2026"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-21",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-21",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}