Second sighting of mystery white powder this month

A report of a suspicious looking white, powdery substance on the sidewalk caused the Bloomington Fire Department to close off a city intersection for about an hour Wednesday morning, said BFD Fire Chief Jeff Barlow.\nA woman called the fire department at about 7:30 a.m. after she walked by the intersection of 14th Street and Madison Avenue and noticed a balloon on the sidewalk that contained a white powder. Barlow said Hazardous Materials team members put on their protective suits and safely obtained a sample.\nThe team identified the substance as corn starch, according to Hazardous Materials.\nBarlow said traffic was able to flow through the intersection again by about 8:45 a.m.\nOfficials held Fountain Square mall patrons and employees on lock down for a similar reporting of a white powder substance Feb. 7.