Updated: 7:48 PM- The FBI was testing an envelope mailed to the Salt Lake City LDS temple Thursday to determine if the white powder it contained was dangerous.
At 4:05 p.m., a recorder's office employee working in the temple's annex opened a manila envelope that contained a smaller envelope with powder in it, said Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesman Scott Freitag.
"As soon as he saw it he put it down," Freitag said.
LDS security was summoned and put the envelopes and powder into a plastic bag. Security officers called 911 and the Salt Lake City Fire Department's Hazardous Material crew and FBI agents arrived.
The man who opened the envelope and two other employees were kept in the annex for more than an hour. Their clothes were washed on site. Only the man who opened the envelope got a small amount of powder on his hand, Freitag said. It was determined the employees were not injured and later went home.
HAZMAT crews used a bleach-like product to sanitize the annex just to be safe, Freitag said. The annex office is in a separate building near the temple. Temple Square was not evacuated while HAZMAT crews were there.
Two FBI agents left the temple grounds about 5 p.m. with a black plastic trash bag containing the envelopes and powder. The bag was taken to an FBI lab where it will be tested to determine what the powder is. Results were not expected until at least Friday, said FBI spokesman Juan Becerra.
Police blocked off eastbound traffic between Main Street and West Temple until about 5:25 p.m.
Freitag said he didn't know where the envelope was mailed from but that it didn't appear to contain a letter. Investigators are trying to determine who sent it.
Church spokesman Scott Trotter said he was unaware of any threats called into the temple Thursday that would indicate the envelope was coming.
Becerra said FBI agents in Los Angeles were investigating the discovery of a similar white powder Thursday at an LDS temple there.
"As to whether they are related or not remains to be seen," Becerra said.
jbergreen@sltrib.com