Firefighters in Ypsilanti, Michigan, plan to raze a vacant home because it has a serious mold problem. Firefighters say that traditional demolition would be unsafe. "We’ve been advised by the experts that the only safe way to abate the mold is to burn it,” said Mike Radzik, head of the township’s Office of Community Standards. The traditional method of demolition could send toxic mold spores into the air, where they could sicken local residents.
The burn will take place in early August. The home has been vacant for years. The building contains high levels of mold. In addition, asbestos is present in the building. According to Radzik, the asbestos will be removed from the home prior to demolition.
If the asbestos was left behind, the conflagration could send tiny asbestos particles into the air. Airborne asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other respiratory illnesses. Some have questioned the quality of the air, due to the presence of the toxic mold and asbestos. "The air outside the home is OK right now,” Radzik said. The fire will consume the mold immediately, killing it within seconds. The asbestos that could be released into the air, however, remains a concern.
Radzik told reporters that the total cost for razing the home will be $20,000. Ypsilanti Township will place a lien on the property, and in that way may be able to recoup some of the costs in the future. According to Radzik, a wall of plywood treated with fire retardant has been set up between the home and the neighboring homes, as a preventative measure to keep the fire from spreading. The neighboring homes will also be covered with a wet tarp during the burn.
There is no information available regarding air quality monitoring at the burn site or in the neighborhood. The air quality testing would determine whether or not asbestos fibers were released in to the air, where they could be inhaled.
Tags: asbestos cancer, asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, mesothelioma treatment