Arkansas’s National Guard hazardous material crew was called the Willow Creek Apartment complex in Jonesboro, Ark recently to remove a Styrofoam box filled with 25-vials of medical-grade “E. coli" bacteria from one of the apartments.

JONESBORO, Ark. — Vials of E. coli bacteria found in the refrigerator of a Jonesboro apartment have been safely removed, authorities said.

A maintenance man cleaning out the unit at the Willow Creek Apartments on Friday found 25 vials marked "E. coli" in a foam box in a refrigerator, officials said. The maintenance man notified the facilities manager, who then called Arkansas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An Arkansas National Guard hazardous material crew spent most of Friday afternoon and night securing the bacteria and removing it from the apartment, Fire Battalion Chief Marty Hamrick told the Jonesboro Sun for a story in Sunday's editions. The vials were of medical-grade quality but there wasn't enough danger for officials to evacuate the complex, Hamrick said.

As a precaution, however, firefighters washed their boots and equipment, he said.

Fire Battalion Chief Marty Hamrick told the Jonesboro Sun an Arkansas National Guard hazardous material crew removed the bacteria from the apartment.

Hamrick said his comments were limited by federal privacy law but officials don't believe there was anything criminal connected with the discovery.

Jonesboro Assistant Fire Chief Alan Dunn told KAIT-TV that initial tests by firefighters showed no contamination. Testing by the 61st Combat Support Team from Little Rock also found no contamination.

E. coli are a group of bacteria that can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia. The illness is typically spread through consumption of contaminated food, unpasteurized milk, contaminated water or contact with the feces of infected people.

Dr. Carl Abraham, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at St. Bernards Medical Center, said E. coli bacteria is often shipped in foam containers to medical centers and universities. However, he said it would be "very strange" to find vials of it inside an apartment or a home.

A call to the apartment complex seeking comment from officials wasn't immediately returned Sunday.

Points to consider:
A maintenance man found the bacteria while cleaning a recently vacated apartment and notified the facilities manager who then called the Arkansas Department of Health. Although officials say they do not suspect there were any criminal motives for the bacteria the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been also called in to track down and interview the foreign born former occupants of the unit and conduct the investigation.