WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) — Post office employees say it took 45 minutes before police stepped in and evacuated the facility on V Street, SE.

“An employee yelled out that a package exploded. I was probably about 25 feet away from him and all I can think of is getting my coat and warning everyone on the way out,” said James Pickett, postal worker.

But Pickett says other postal employees weren’t able to follow him out the door.

“It was some 40-45 minutes before the building was evacuated,” he said.

“An employee came outside. She was leaving. She let the District Police know what happened and that’s when they came in and evacuated the building,” said Dena Briscoe, President of Local 140 of the Postal Workers Union.

She said managers failed to follow protocol.

“The Postal service failed to share information with employees here and in ‘Curseen Morris.’ They were briefed today; this morning… [it’s] very late. It is after the fact,” she said.

Postal workers say Friday’s incident reminds them of the 2001 Anthrax Attacks.

full story via WUSA TV Washington