Students at Hollister Junior High in Hollister, Missouri will attend classes at the district high school for the next two weeks after an unexpected pipe break last Wednesday revealed asbestos glue in the floor tiles.
Superintendent Tim Taylor said that two inches of water flooded the building after a pipe broke last Wednesday. As of Saturday, the floor was beginning to dry but the floor tiles were peeling, revealing asbestos glue.
Horizon Environmental will remove the glue today. Once completed they will run air quality and surface quality tests on the building. Should the building comply with safety standards, new tiles will be installed and waxed.
Asbestos is dangerous because exposure is the cause of mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, stomach and heart. The disease is very often fatal as it is usually detected in its advanced stages.
The project is anticipated to take two weeks to complete. “Obviously, our big concern here is not speed but the safety of the students,” Taylor said.
Source: http://www.news-leader.com/article/20100811/NEWS01/8110428/Flooding-reveals-asbestos-at-Hollister-Junior-High