Officials in Bridgeport, Connecticut are monitoring the air quality surrounding a vacant ammunition factory. A portion of the factory was demolished Monday after a weekend fire left part of the building in shambles, reports WFSB.
The blaze, which damaged the old Remington Arms plant, occurred Saturday morning. No one was injured in the blaze, however, officials are concerned asbestos was disturbed by the blaze. For the factory building was roofed with asbestos-laden materials.
Asbestos is a highly hazardous material, found in many construction materials. When disturbed, the particles can pose a serious health risk to those exposed.
Extended exposure to the material has been known to cause several diseases, including mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare asbestos cancer which affects nearly 3,000 Americans each year.
Without a cure, patients undergo forms of mesothelioma treatment. Such treatment most often involves chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Despite aggressive treatment, most patients lose their battle with asbestos cancer in less than two years.
Although the factory’s roofing is made of asbestos materials, air quality tests have been normal.
"There’s not a serious health risk posed at this point. The important thing is to continue to monitor the situation and to make sure that any materials stay there, and not in the neighborhood,” said Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch.
The city of Bridgeport expects to pay about $11 million in order to fund the clean up.