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NEWS BRIEFS
Grocery store pennies posed no health threat
HUNTINGTON -- Testing by the West Virginia State Police shows pennies recovered from the Westmoreland Foodland contained ashes from a fire and posed no health risk, said Huntington Fire Chief C. Creig Moore.
Haz-Mat crews were called to the store Aug. 30. Their response concerned employees who felt nauseous and itchy after handling pennies that were covered in a powdery white substance. Six employees were taken to the hospital.
Moore said the report indicated the substance was nothing "more than products of combustion from a fire." He still believes last week's precautionary response was appropriate.
Employees reportedly had received a large amount of pennies from a regular customer, who often paid with change.
