By VINAYA SAKSENA

EAST PROVIDENCE – A polling place re-opened and appeared safe Tuesday afternoon after having been shut down for some time due to concerns over a mysterious substance that had been found in the polling area, according to Fire Chief Joseph Klucznik.

The substance which prompted the closing had not been identified as of press time. However, Klucznik said testing of the substance on the premises of the Grove Avenue Elementary School did not show it to be harmful.

It was reported yesterday that the substance found was white and powdery. However, Klucznik described it as “grayish” in color and “fibrous” in texture. The evacuation and closing of the polling location occurred around 11:30 a.m., when the substance was unexpectedly found by a poll worker.

“They found the powdery substance on the floor,” Klucznik said. “A (poll worker) went to clean it up and it irritated her arms.”

City firefighters and a teen of hazardous material technicians responded to the scene, and were assisted by units from North Providence, including a decontamination unit. Police units blocked off a stretch of road near the school and redirected traffic. According to Klucznik, a tent was set up for decontamination purposes, but the group of poll workers and others who had been in the polling area did not end up needing decontamination showers.

Samples of the mysterious substance, which was apparently found near the registration table where poll workers were sitting, were brought outside and tested. The test results were inconclusive, Klucznik said, but it came back with a pH balance of six, which he described as a neutral rating in terms of acidity and alkalinity.

“It’s a long process of (testing),” Klucznik said. “It’s not reactive to acid. It’s not reactive to water. It was not biological in nature.”

Klucznik said the polling place was determined to be safe at approximately 3:15 p.m. The state Board of Elections announced that the polling place would be open until 10:00 p.m.- an hour later than originally scheduled- in order to accommodate voters who may have been turned away while the site was closed.

According to Klucznik, the mysterious substance had been sent to the University of Rhode Island’s crime lab. It was not known as of press time when the substance would be tested there, or when the results of that testing would be released.