Fire Station No. 3 on South Park Avenue in Lackawanna, New York has been undergoing renovation to remove asbestos, a mineral fiber used in many older building materials known to cause an aggressive cancer called mesothelioma

Independent air quality testing done in early December at the behest of the Lackawanna fire fighters showed unsafe levels of asbestos in the fire station, according to a report by a New York television station WIVB-TV.

Lackawanna fire fighters’ union had the testing done by an independent laboratory after fire fighters noticed a large amount of dust in the firehouse. The independent lab report showed dangerous levels of asbestos in the dust samples.

Capt. Thomas Menendez, president of International Fire Fighters Local 3166, told WIVB thatfire fighters initially received a memorandum that they should avoid the second floor of the firehall as much as possible. Menendez said the firefighters tried to stay off the second floor, but that dust from the area was tramped throughout the building.

Given the level of asbestos shown by the testing, Menendez said the directive simply to avoid the second floor was an inadequate response. Lackawanna’s city engineer ordered the firefighters to vacate the building until the asbestos is cleaned up.

Fire Station No. 3 is one of three fire houses operated by the Lackawanna Fire Department . Each station has a company of firefighters divided into platoons. The dispatch center for the fire department also is located in Fire Station No. 3.

Many older buildings contain asbestos insulation and other building materials containing asbestos. Asbestos when stirred into the air by remodeling activities may be inhaled and lodge in the lungs where it can cause inflammation, scarring and changes gradually leading to mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung. Symptoms of mesothelioma typically take 20 years to 50 years to appear.

Approximately, 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States. Most are workers and retired workers who were exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Mesothelioma is incurable. But treatment options to manage the cancer include radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.

For more information about mesothelioma, click here.