Caldwell School Identifies Suspicious Powder as Alka-Seltzer

A white powder discovered at a Caldwell middle school last week was determined to be Alka-Seltzer used in a science classroom, Caldwell-West Caldwell officials said Monday.

Caldwell police evacuated Grover Cleveland Middle School Thursday around 4:30 p.m. as a precaution while police and Nutley Hazmat investigated a suspicious substance found by a custodian in a boys bathroom. The investigation determined the substance was harmless and possibly a vitamin powder.

"Principal James Brown investigated further on Friday, and determined that some powdered Alka-Seltzer from a science lab experiment had been left in a bathroom," district officials said Monday.

Caldwell police were updated and are "satisfied with the outcome of the investigation," according to the district.