Asbestos Still Plaguing Firehouse
Newton, Massachusetts’ Fire Station Number 3 is still dealing with the potential of asbestos contamination, more than a month after it was first discovered that fallen ceiling tiles may have caused asbestos dust to gather in the station’s wire room.
According to an article in the Newton Tab, FLI Environmental, contracted by the city, returned to Fire Station 3 to do another round of testing for asbestos. The environmental specialists found asbestos in the rug of the weight room and in the clothing of one of the workers. FLI Environmental recommended disposing of the clothing and removing the rug in the weight room.
This was the third study completed at the firehouse. The first one that concluded that there was no detectable asbestos in the firehouse and the second discovered asbestos in the ceiling. The first study, also conducted by FLI Environmental, tested only the air and dust from debris that had fallen.
The second study, performed by the state, found asbestos in the ceiling from where the debris fell.
The final study, which examined the entire station, detected asbestos in the rug of the weight room and in the clothing of an employee, the article explains.
Because of the incident at Station Number 3, the city has decided to conduct preconstruction surveys in all five stations scheduled for renovation to ensure areas containing hazardous materials are handled properly.
“We are going to continue to [take] precautions as we do additional work in the fire stations to make sure that our workers are not exposed to asbestos and that we are making the work as safe as possible,” Mayor David Cohen said. “The first priority of the city is the safety of the inhabitants of the fire stations.”
