October 22nd, 2007

A school roof that collapsed last week is now causing more concern when asbestos was found at the site. Since the roof collapsed and the building is unstable, removing the asbestos may be an issue.

An old school’s roof collapsed last week, posing a hazard as the building is beginning to cave in. The Pennsylvania building had been under discussion by residents and borough officials due to the presence of asbestos in the dilapidated building. The removal of the dangerous asbestos is now hindered further by the unstable condition of the structure. The road leading to the old school is closed indefinitely, and state and county officials have asked for help from the Emergency Management Agency to rectify the situation.

The collapsed roof and caving building poses a health threat to residents in the area. Breathing in asbestos particles can lead to many types of respiratory illnesses, including asbestosis, emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of aggressive lung cancer. Mesothelioma results from asbestos particles becoming stuck in the lungs and keeping the tissue from absorbing oxygen. Removing asbestos incorrectly can cause the same problem, as improper removal can break the asbestos apart even worse.