The Boston Police Hazardous Materials Team was dispatched to five area hospitals, including Boston Medical Center, between 10:47 a.m. and 2:12 p.m. Wednesday after receiving calls about threatening letters, according to the Boston Police Department blog.
Beth Israel Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, New England Baptist Hospital and Tufts Medical Center received the letters. They appear to be from the same source, a ‘zealous advocate for patient’s rights’ criticizing the care provided by the hospitals, according to BPD’s blog. Investigation of the letters continues, but there has been no indication of visible substances, powder or any other biological threat. No further elaboration of the letters ‘ suspicious nature was given.
‘It was a threatening letter due to the manner it was delivered in,’ BMC spokeswoman Maria Pantages said. ‘We followed protocol by calling the public safety and emergency preparedness people, including the Boston police and fire departments.’
BMC’s letter was delivered at 11:45 a.m. and was removed from the scene by Boston Fire Department. No patients or staff were evacuated. The mail room was closed for the remainder of the day, but the rest of hospital operations continued as usual, Pantages said.
Tufts Medical Center was the fourth hospital to call BPD at 1:31 p.m., and callers already knew the other hospitals had received similar letters, TMC spokeswoman Julie Jette said.
‘We heard the other hospitals had gotten suspicious letters, and we had a description of what they looked like,’ Jette said. ‘When we received one, we called the police.’
There was no disruption of patient care or facilities at TMC.
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