February 22nd, 2007

Officials have reported that the recent collapse of a building’s ceiling, which occurred at the end of last week, has resulted in the leakage of asbestos into the air. Asbestos is a potentially deadly substance, which is a known carcinogenic and can result in a range of health problems including a cancer known as mesothelioma, which can result from exposure to airborne dust and fibers.

Michael Wasylenko, senior associate dean of Academic Affairs and Administration for the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs the collapse of the building’s ceiling stemmed from weather conditions. He also stated that the third floor offices of the building had been affected by the incident.

He added: "What happened was that there was ice standing on the roof, water got in underneath the roof and leaked into the ceiling, and some of the plaster fell down. There is supposed to be an electric cable up there to hold the ice. I don't know if the cable failed or if it just wasn't in that area - we are still looking into that."

Air testing confirmed the presence of asbestos in the air following the collapse, and the area was cleaned. "The ceiling has asbestos in it - it's an old building." Wasylenko said. "Of course, that is an environmental hazard, so they had to vacate those people, put up shields and bring people in to clean up the area. Everything is back to normal. The building is safe and everyone is now able to occupy their offices."