Officials from the FBI have determined that white powder found inside a wayward balloon on Independence Mall is simply wheat-based flour.
The blue balloon was discovered on the side of the Liberty Bell Pavilion located along 6th Street between Market and Chestnut Streets in the Old City section of Philadelphia, police say.
Park rangers found the balloon after noticing tourists were kicking it around just after 2:30 p.m. Thursday, FBI officials say. They then found the balloon to have white powder inside, officials say.
Homeland Security, FBI, Philadelphia Police and Philadelphia Fire all descended on the historic district and shut down the area for hours.
Officials closed 6th Street between Market and Chestnut as they worked to determine if the powder was a threat.
As a precaution, the FBI and Homeland Security considered the find a hazmat situation.
Initial field tests found the white powder did not contain radioactive materials, but did contain biological substances, FBI spokesperson JJ Klaver said.
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Further tests found that the biological material was not hazardous and only wheat-based flour.
Two Philadelphia firefighters and two Wackenhut security guards who came in contact with the balloon were decontaminated as a precaution, the FBI says.
Independence Mall was reopened to the public sometime after 7 p.m.
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