Boulder (Colo.) firefighters were confronted with walls and ceilings full of asbestos when they fought a fire at a high-rise apartment yesterday, and now residents cannot return until city officials confirm that the air is clear of asbestos dust.
According to an article in The Denver Post, Boulder firefighters responded to a call at 2:30 am Monday at a 31-story apartment complex on 22nd Street. When they arrived, they realized the older building was probably strewn with asbestos so that took precautions and donned special gear to fight the fire, the article points out.
Sarah Huntley, a spokesperson for the city of Boulder said that while only seven units were damaged, no tenants can return to the building because asbestos may have been released into the air and spread throughout the complex. On Monday afternoon, air quality testing was performed to determine the extent of the spread of fibers.
Officials say many of the apartments were rented by University of Colorado students that had already gone home for the summer, so it was unclear as to how many individuals were displaced by the blaze.
At 1:30 p.m. Monday, firefighters wearing protective gear went inside the apartments to collect essential possessions, such as wallets, purses and medications, for displaced residents. Until air quality test results are returned, tenants probably will not be able to return to their apartments.
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