Mysterious white powder wasn’t dangerous

NITRO, W.Va. — An FBI lab test found no sinister properties on a mysterious powder found on Mexican-made pipe products at a Kanawha Valley warehouse.

The white dust was discovered on pipe fittings that arrived at McJunkin-Redman in Nitro last week. The dust reportedly made some workers experience shortness of breath and dizziness.  

“The test came back from the lab it was oil and metal shavings,” said C.W. Sigman, deputy director of emergency services in Kanawha County. “But the folks at McJunkin have opened other packages and are still getting an acid smell or taste.”

Sigman said his agency is unsure what may be causing the smell and taste unless it’s something used in the process of cutting the pipes. He said he’s also unable to determine if the material could be harmful to workers.  

“I can’t prove it one way or another,”  he said. “That’s a decision they’ll make, but we cannot detect any product other than oil.”