December 11th, 2006

The Deutsch Bank AG building that was damaged in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York is to come down amidst fears of contamination through asbestos and other debris. Many locals and officials have been expressing concern for years with regards to the possible health issues that could result from contamination from the debris from the damaged building.

The building, which stands at 41 storeys, is filled with toxic dust and debris from the terrorist attacks that took place over five years ago. Since then the tower has been standing as a grim reminder of the events of that day, but demolition work was due to start late last week. It is thought the project could take around a year to complete.

Charles Maikish, executive director of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center stated: "This is a very positive action on a very difficult job. The first thing that comes off is the skin."

However, although many were concerned about the health risks associated with toxic exposure from leaving the building standing, many are now concerned about asbestos and other toxic contamination that may result from the building being torn down.