Avoid Possible Hazardous Material At Chestnut Lodge Site — And Around Town
Jun 11, 2009 17:19 - 3 Comments
Some Rockville citizens have pointed out a new aspect of the >Chestnut Lodge fire that has not yet come to the fore. The fire may have spread contaminants into the air and surrounding areas.
Specifically, some are worried about lead paint and asbestos. Chestnut Lodge was built before those substances were banned.
It appears that if asbestos were used in construction of Chestnut Lodge it would have vaporized into the air. However, some say there is a possibility that the many paint chips that fell from the air in the hours after the fire were lead-based. Lead, as a heavy metal, could easily leach into the surrounding ground.
Our understanding is that the City has been in touch with state environmental officials about the issue and have received preliminary information and are formulating a response.
At least one West End resident has been collecting paint chips and charred pieces of wood that could be used for testing. But Lincoln Park residents also spoke of dust on their cars after the fire so a broader examination may be a good idea.
For citizens, the best current advice is to stay away from the Chestnut Lodge site (treat it as a hazardous area). Here is a good information sheet from New York State on lead paint. Residents may also consider avoiding using lawnmowers and leaf blowers so as not to further stir up possible lead dust. Parents of nearby Beall Elementary School children should keep their children away from the site.
Just to be clear: We do not know that lead-based paint was spread around, but according to some — it is a possibility.
We understand that the City should be issuing a press release or other communication on this in the near future.
If readers have advice, please add it in the comments so others can have your good counsel.
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I know RC isn’t trying to alarm anyone with this reasonable and cautious post. If you got worried when you read this, consider the weather we have been having. Lots of rain this week has washed away lots of particulate matter. Just look in the gutter outside your house to see what I mean – ever seen cleaner streets? Also, the wet ground and road surface will minimize any “dusting” of potential residual contaminants back into the air. Trust me – I have been in the hazardous waste investigation and cleanup industry more than 25 years. Lead and asbestos probebly were released during the fire, but the relative isolation of the site and the weather this week would have significantly reduced potential exposures to Rockville residents. It’s a good idea, though, to stay away from Chestnut Lodge, and especially when (if?) it dries out and they start mowing the lawn.
Thanks so much, Frank, for this useful help. No, RC doesn’t want to in any way be alarmist!
Great point Frank. Plus, things like lead and asbestos are exposure-over-time issues, and this will not be a long-term ongoing source of contamination. Nobody’s getting a huge single dose from this, and nobody’s getting a tiny dose for a really long time either.Every rain helps diminish it even more. Not that its great for the watershed, but better there an in the air we breathe.Kids love to smoke, my bet is that someone trespassing in there tossed a butt and it smoldered for 5-10 hours before catching. The building was a firetrap, clearly, and the interior video I saw showed it had enough accelerant in it already in the form of papers and junk. It may have been raining lately but I bet they kept the roof tight and things dry inside.