Postal official said security issue led to Yantic Post Office closing

Norwich – The Yantic Post Office closed suddenly Monday for security and safety reasons based on an undisclosed issue that arose last week and is under investigation by U.S. Postal Service officials, a postal service spokeswoman said today.

"For the safety of the customers and the employees we felt we had to close," spokeswoman Christine Dugas said today.

The sudden closure will spark a formal review of whether the Yantic Post Office should be closed permanently, Dugas said, but a schedule for that review has not yet been set. Because the closure was a security matter, she said she could not comment further on reasons for the closing.

The one employee at the tiny but popular village post office was transferred to the Bozrah Post Office 1.2 miles away, where the mail and all 230 post office boxes will be handled during the closure, Dugas said.

A mailbox in front of the Yantic Post Office will remain in operation, she said.

The USPS announced the "emergency suspension" Monday evening after the Yantic Post Office already had closed for the day. Customers who went to the post office during the day Monday said they were given no indication of a problem.

"We're in there on a daily basis," said Frank Blanchard, chief of the Yantic volunteer fire department a few doors down from the post office. "I was there yesterday at 11:30 and she said nothing. We were talking about my Patriots losing and that's all."

Blanchard said Yantic residents have been coming to the fire station all day today to ask why the post office closed. He said Yantic firefighters too were "shocked" at the sudden closing.

"For a small post office, that has a pretty high volume," Blanchard said. "It's one of the three focal points in the village, the church, the post office and the fire house. People go to the post office and stop at Lazizah's (Bake Shop) for lunch. I hope it's only temporary."

The "emergency suspension" notice is posted in several places on the front doors and windows of the tiny post office building. The notice tells customers that their mail will be delivered to the Bozrah Post Office at 181 Fitchville Road, Bozrah, and they will retain the same PO Box number and will keep their current Yantic mailing addresses. The Bozrah Post Office is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

"Together the Yantic and Bozrah Post Offices welcome this opportunity to serve you," the notice says at the bottom.

Postal officials said the Yantic Post Office will be closed indefinitely. An emergency suspension can occur at the discretion of postal management because of a natural disaster, eviction, safety or serious health issue or if the facility is in substandard conditions, Dugas wrote in the press release issued late Monday.

c.bessette@theday.com