Fruit tea mistaken for suspicious substance triggers major response in Kiel

A red substance in a teapot prompted an emergency response on Thursday evening in Gaarden, a district of Kiel, Germany.

A 37-year-old woman had received a parcel she had not ordered and called for help because the substance looked unfamiliar and smelled chemical.

Police, firefighters and ambulance crews attended, including a hazardous-materials team.

Firefighters found no signs of danger in their checks, and the woman who raised the alarm was uninjured.

After sealing the parcel, police noticed it was addressed to another woman in the same apartment building.

The intended recipient said she was expecting a teapot and fruit tea, and responders confirmed the red substance was the tea.

The parcel was handed to its rightful recipient and authorities gave the all-clear.