‘Suspicious powder’ scare at Eric Idle’s home in LA

The Los Angeles home of Monty Python star Eric Idle was swamped by police and fire crews after a report that a suspicious powder had been found in an envelope delivered to the property.

Emergency services, including a hazmat team, arrived at the house in Hollywood Hills on Monday night, with officers at the scene treating the call as a possible anthrax scare.

Police said they were told that an “unknown powdery substance” had fallen out of the envelope when they received the call to Floye Drive shortly after 6.20pm local time.

NBC News reported that the envelope was opened by Idle’s assistant, prompting the house to be evacuated as crews carried out a thorough search.

But it turned out to be a false alarm, as the Los Angeles Fire Department revealed that no hazardous chemical or powder had been discovered.

Local reporters were later told that the concern had been sparked by residue from inside the envelope.

According to NBC News, two women were taken to hospital as a precaution, but had showed no ill symptoms.

It is not known whether comedian Idle, 76, or wife Tania Kosevich, a former model, were home at the time.

(c) Sky News 2019: ‘Suspicious powder’ scare at Eric Idle’s home in LA