April 9th, 2008

A demolition crew was left without work this week after asbestos was found in the burned out building. The crew removed an interior wall and noticed the dangerous material.

An Ohio building that was slated for demolition after being burned to a shell is now sitting and waiting for work to be completed. Crew workers preparing the building for demolition discovered asbestos in the walls after interior walls were removed. When the walls were taken down a material that appeared to be asbestos was found, and the Environmental Protection Agency was called in to test the substance. The results were that the material is asbestos, and demolition work came to a halt. The building will now have to undergo abatement, or asbestos removal, before the demolition can resume.

Workers at the site stressed that the material was not disturbed, so it did not pose a threat to the public. Asbestos only becomes dangerous when it is mishandled or removed improperly, which can lead to the substance breaking apart into airborne particles. Breathing in airborne asbestos has been linked to mesothelioma, emphysema and asbestosis. Mesothelioma, a particularly deadly form of lung cancer, can take years to be diagnosed. Since work around the material stopped upon discovery, the site remains safe.