Taipei - Altogether 43 Taipei residents were being treated for serious discomfort caused by a mysterious powder which spilled out of a broken bottle on a Taipei street Tuesday. The powder, which was spread by the wind in front of a major Taipei hospital, drew a high alert status from city authorities, which ordered the area sealed off for several hours, for fear of terrorist attack, police said.
Hours later, the Environmental Protection Administration ruled out a terrorist attack.
"After examination, the powder was found to be a chemical used for self-defence by ladies against sexual or other physical assaults," said an administration spokesman by phone.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning on Chunghua Road when a glass bottle fell from a vehicle and was run over by another car, releasing a yellow powder from the bottle, Taipei police said.
The powder caused itchy eyes and breathing difficulties to 43 passers-by and motorcyclists.
The affected people were sent to several hospitals. Except for two others who still felt uncomfortable, all others were discharged from hospital after treatment, doctors said.
Taipei police said they later sealed the road and sprinkled it with water to prevent the powder from spreading. They also collected samples of the yellow powder and sent it to the environmental authorities to determine its composition.
