Mystery dust closes down Pocatello Senior Center

The discovery of mysterious dust led to the closing of the Greater Pocatello Senior Center.

“We were doing routine cleaning and we noticed that there was an accumulation of dust in a particular area of the library and it was coming from the heat vents or the air vent,” said Jerilynn Mecham, the center’s general manager. “It had me curious or puzzled. I’ve had a lot of background with construction and so forth, and I thought it was construction.”

Out of safety concerns, the center was closed Wednesday.

The Building and Inspection Department was called in to check out the dust and although what it is hasn’t been determined yet, officials determined its best to shut down the center until it’s identified.

The center is a crucial part of the community for seniors. For some, it may be the only place to get a hot meal each day.

Mecham said Thursday that the substance probably won’t be identified until Monday. Meanwhile, she is working on plan for seniors who depend on the center for hot meals.

We’ll post more information as it becomes available.