An abandoned Albany storage building was found to have asbestos after a confirmed arson blaze.

The fire broke out at the vacant Willamette Industries sawmill storage buildings in the mostly residential Sweet Home neighborhood around 5 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 31.

The mill had been unoccupied since the early 1990s and in 2010 the county took over the property in lieu of a reported $500,000 in back taxes owed.

While it was in operation, the mill produced both structural lumber and plywood.  Reportedly, the Environmental Protection Agency had completed an emergency asbestos removalwhen the toxic material was found in pipe insulation at the expense of more than $1.1 million prior to the county taking possession of the abandoned mill.

No one was in the building at the time of the fire, however, during the investigation into the blaze a 14-year old boy was charged with second-degree arson. The initial report regarding the arson suggested that the roofing materials contained asbestos, according to the county administrator, Ralph Wyatt.

Wyatt stated that the risk of airborne asbestos fibers into the Sweet Home neighborhood is low due to the rainy season and that a safety fence was installed around the mill to deter trespassers. Wyatt further reported that the initial clean up and asbestos removal and transfer is expected to cost $132,000.

An environmental assessment is being conducted via an on-site contract with W.L. Thomas Environmental by the state Department of Environmental Quality funded by a $350,000 federal grant.

Dangers of Asbestos Exposure

There are many factors that play into the dangers of fires. Besides being exposed to the obvious immediate hazard of the fire itself, smoke inhalation of carbon monoxide poison, and collapsing buildings, there is a less obvious factor that may be more dangerous—asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is a known carcinogen and a respiratory hazard. Consisting of long, thin fibrous crystals, it may be mixed with other substances in order to resist heat, electricity and chemical damage. When houses and buildings with asbestos burn, asbestos fibers can become airborne, creating a potentially hazardous situation.

Many buildings constructed before 1981 have asbestos-containing materials. Prior to the 1980s, asbestos was used not only in insulation but also in floor tiles, ceiling tiles, roof shingles, flashing, siding, pipe cement, plasters, and joint compound. Buildings constructed after 1981 will have less of these materials, but even burning of relatively smaller amounts of these elements may release asbestos fibers into the air.

In the event of a fire anyone surrounding it is at risk of asbestos exposure. Over time asbestos exposure may lead to serious health problems, including mesothelioma.

What is Mesothelioma?

Asbestos exposure is linked to an aggressive cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that can be either malignant or benign. The malignant type of mesothelioma is the most hazardous form of cancer and may be deadly in most cases. This cancer affects the mesothelium, which protects the heart, stomach, lungs, and other organs by making a special fluid that allows the organs to move.

Mesothelioma usually does not develop until 20 to 40 years or more from the victim’s first exposure to asbestos.