Update: HAZMAT Responds to Dedham Middle School, No Evacuation Ordered

UPDATE (3:27 p.m.) - Tuesday afternoon's incident at involving the receipt of a white powder through the mail did not prompt the school to go into lockdown, the school's principal said in an email to parents.

"As classes had just started for Block 6, we informed the teachers that we would hold the students in the classrooms," Principal Debra Gately wrote in the email. "As to not to alarm the students, we did not make an announcement over the loudspeaker. At no time were any students in any type of danger and the school was never on lockdown. The issue was contained to the main office only."

Gately added, "From what we have learned, other letters were sent to schools in Massachusetts and Maine. I must emphasize that the children were never in any danger and were kept in classrooms in order to allow all personnel to attend to the issue."

A HAZMAT team arrived on the scene at the middle school around 1 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a white powder that arrived through the school's mail.

It was initially reported that students at the school were in lockdown on Tuesday, but no such lockdown was ever issued. The area where the letter was opened had been isolated, Dedham Fire Chief William Cullinane said at the scene.

Fire officials said the incident was consistent to one that happened .

Superintendent June Doe said through a spokesperson that there was "no emergency" and "no evacuation" at the school, and she declined to comment further.

Chief Michael d'Entremont said "information came along that it was anticipated, but no one knew where."

Cullinane said that the voting area for today's Super Tuesday election was not impacted, and voting would continue.

Dedham Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.